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My stance is that the new year still deserves a delightful dessert. During a month that can be dreary weather, a small indulgence is essential. Granted, I'm not after dense confections, but a dessert such as this refreshing set custard is absolutely perfect. With a casual look, it resembles a special morning parfait.

Creamy Yoghurt Custard with Banana and Tahini Crumble

You'll have more crumble than needed for this dessert. Store the remainder in an tightly-closed tub as a ready-made textured garnish for future use.

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 chilled water. Leave them to soften for roughly 5 mins, until softened. Next, pour off the water and gently squeeze out any excess liquid. 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 totally melted. Vigorously whisk in the Greek yoghurt until smooth. Divide the custard into four small glasses and place in the refrigerator for a couple of hours, until completely set.

Meanwhile, prepare 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. Stir together thoroughly. Pour in the melted butter and tahini, then stir until coated so everything is nicely mixed. Pour it onto the lined sheet and bake for 18 to 22 minutes, until golden brown. Remove from the oven, let it cool completely, then break it up into rustic chunks.

Next, cook the bananas: place in a pot, warm the honey with two tablespoons of water. Add the sliced bananas and heat until they soften slightly and the syrup thickens a bit sticky. Take off the stove and let it cool a bit.

Finally, divide the banana mixture over the set panna cottas. Add a generous topping of the tahini crumble and serve immediately.