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It's my conviction that the first month calls for a sweet treat. In a period often characterised by gloomy days, a little sweetness can lift spirits. Granted, I'm not after decadent, heavy desserts, but something like this refreshing set custard hits the spot. At first sight, it might be mistaken for a decadent yoghurt bowl.

Creamy Yoghurt Custard with Tahini-Oat Topping

You'll have extra crumble mixture for the panna cotta. Store the remainder in an airtight container as a ready-made crispy treat another time.

Prep: 5 minutes
Chill: 2 hours minimum
Cook: 50 minutes
Serves: 4

For the Panna Cotta

• 2 sheets of gelatine
• 300g of whipping cream
• 60g of honey
• 1 teaspoon of vanilla bean paste
• A pinch of salt
• 300g of Greek yoghurt

For the Tahini Crumble

• 80g of jumbo oats
• 50g of plain flour
• 40g of light brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons of sesame seeds
• A pinch of flaky sea salt
• ¼ teaspoon of ground cinnamon
• 50g of melted unsalted butter
• 30g of tahini
• 2½ tablespoons of honey
• 2 small bananas, sliced

Method

Begin by putting the gelatine sheets in a small bowl of cold water. Allow them to soak for 5 minutes or so, until they are soft. Then, drain them and remove the extra water. Put them to one side.

Place in a pan, mix the whipping cream with the honey, vanilla paste, and salt. Heat gently until hot taking care not to boil. Remove from the heat and add the squeezed gelatine until it is fully incorporated. Then, mix in the Greek yoghurt thoroughly. Spoon the blend into serving pots and chill in the fridge for several hours, until solid.

Meanwhile, prepare the crumble. Set your oven to 190°C (170°C fan)/375°F/gas 5. Line a small baking tray with parchment paper. Combine in a bowl the oats, flour, sugar, sesame seeds, salt, and cinnamon. Mix well to combine. Add the melted butter and tahini, then stir until coated so everything is well covered. Spread the mixture onto the lined sheet and cook for 18 to 22 minutes, until crisp and coloured. Remove from the oven, cool entirely, then break into pieces into rough bits.

Next, cook the bananas: place in a pot, warm the honey with two tablespoons of water. Stir in the banana slices and cook until they soften slightly and the syrup thickens slightly syrupy. Turn off the heat and allow to cool slightly.

Finally, spoon the warm bananas on top of the custards. Sprinkle over the tahini crumble and dig in.