🔗 Share this article

I firmly believe that January calls for a delightful dessert. At a time that can be grey skies, a small indulgence goes a long way. This isn't about decadent, heavy desserts, but the likes of this light yoghurt panna cotta is absolutely perfect. At first sight, it could easily pass for a special morning parfait.

Creamy Yoghurt Custard with Tahini-Oat Topping

This recipe yields a generous amount of topping for this dessert. Save the excess in an tightly-closed tub to enjoy as a crunchy snack 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. Leave them to soften for 5 minutes or so, until they are soft. Afterwards, discard the water and remove the extra water. Set them aside.

In a small saucepan, mix the whipping cream with the honey, vanilla paste, and salt. Heat gently until warmed through but not boiling. Remove from the heat and whisk in the squeezed gelatine until it is fully incorporated. Incorporate the Greek yoghurt until smooth. Pour the mixture into individual ramekins and chill in the fridge for several hours, until solid.

Meanwhile, prepare the crumble. Preheat your 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. Toss to blend. Add the melted butter and tahini, then mix thoroughly so everything is evenly coated. Pour it onto the lined sheet and bake for 18 to 22 minutes, until crisp and coloured. Once baked, let it cool completely, then break into pieces into rough bits.

To prepare the bananas: in a small pan, warm the honey with two tablespoons of water. Put in the bananas and simmer until they begin to soften and the liquid reduces slightly syrupy. Turn off the heat and allow to cool slightly.

To serve, divide the banana mixture onto the chilled desserts. Add a generous topping of the tahini crumble and dig in.