🔗 Share this article

My stance is that January isn't complete without a tasty finale. In a period often characterised by dreary weather, a spark of joy goes a long way. I'm not suggesting dense confections, but the likes of this creamy yoghurt-based dessert fits the bill perfectly. If you glance quickly, it might be mistaken for a fancy breakfast pot.

Creamy Yoghurt Custard with Tahini-Oat Topping

You'll have extra crumble mixture for the panna cotta. Keep the leftovers in an tightly-closed tub for a handy crunchy snack 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 ramekin of cool water. Leave them to soften for roughly 5 mins, until they are soft. Then, drain them and remove remaining moisture. Put them to one side.

Place in a pan, combine the cream with the honey, vanilla paste, and salt. Cook on a low heat until steaming but not boiling. Take the pan off the stove and stir in the squeezed gelatine until it is totally melted. Incorporate the Greek yoghurt thoroughly. Divide the custard into individual ramekins and refrigerate for at least two hours, until solid.

Now for the crumble. Heat the oven to 190°C (170°C fan)/375°F/gas 5. Cover a baking sheet with greaseproof 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 mix thoroughly so everything is evenly coated. Tip the blend onto the baking tray and cook for 18 to 22 minutes, until nicely browned. Once baked, let it cool completely, then crumble it up into rough bits.

To prepare the bananas: using a saucepan, warm the honey with two tablespoons of water. Put in the bananas and simmer until they soften slightly and the mixture becomes a bit sticky. Turn off the heat and set aside to cool.

Finally, top each panna cotta over the set panna cottas. Sprinkle over the tahini crumble and dig in.