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My stance is that the new year isn't complete without a delightful dessert. In a period often characterised by grey skies, a spark of joy is essential. Granted, I'm not after dense confections, but the likes of this refreshing set custard fits the bill perfectly. With a casual look, it could easily pass for a fancy breakfast pot.

Creamy Yoghurt Custard with Tahini-Oat Topping

This recipe yields extra crumble mixture for the panna cotta. Store the remainder in an airtight container to enjoy as a textured garnish later on.

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

First, place the gelatine sheets in a small bowl of chilled water. Allow them to soak for 5 minutes or so, until they are soft. Next, pour off the water and gently squeeze out any excess liquid. Set them aside.

Place in a pan, combine the cream with the honey, vanilla paste, and salt. Warm over a low flame until steaming but not boiling. Remove from the heat and stir in the prepared gelatine until it is totally melted. Then, mix in the Greek yoghurt thoroughly. Spoon the blend into serving pots and chill in the fridge for several hours, until firmly set.

Meanwhile, prepare the crumble. Heat the oven to 190°C (170°C fan)/375°F/gas 5. Line a small baking tray with parchment paper. In a mixing bowl the oats, flour, sugar, sesame seeds, salt, and cinnamon. Mix well to combine. Incorporate the melted butter and tahini, then combine well so everything is well covered. Pour it onto the baking tray and cook for 18 to 22 minutes, until nicely browned. Take it out, let it cool completely, then break it up into rustic chunks.

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

For assembly, top each panna cotta onto the chilled desserts. Add a generous topping of the tahini crumble and enjoy straight away.