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It's my conviction that the new year isn't complete without a delightful dessert. At a time typically filled with dreary weather, a spark of joy goes a long way. This isn't about anything overly rich, 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

You'll have a generous amount of topping for this dessert. Keep the leftovers 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

First, place the gelatine sheets in a ramekin of chilled water. Leave them to soften for roughly 5 mins, until they are soft. Next, pour off the water and gently squeeze out the extra water. Reserve for later.

Using a small pot, mix the whipping cream with the honey, vanilla paste, and salt. Heat gently until hot without letting it boil. Remove from the heat and whisk in the softened gelatine until it is totally melted. Vigorously whisk in the Greek yoghurt thoroughly. Pour the mixture into four small glasses and place in the refrigerator for several hours, until firmly set.

While that chills, make the crumble. Heat the oven to 190°C (170°C fan)/375°F/gas 5. Cover a baking sheet with baking paper. Combine in a bowl the oats, flour, sugar, sesame seeds, salt, and cinnamon. Toss to blend. Pour in the melted butter and tahini, then mix thoroughly so everything is well covered. Pour it onto the baking tray and cook for 18 to 22 minutes, until nicely browned. Once baked, let it cool completely, then break it up into rustic chunks.

To prepare the bananas: in a small pan, gently heat the honey with two tablespoons of water. Put in the bananas and heat until they begin to soften and the mixture becomes slightly syrupy. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool.

Finally, spoon the warm bananas over the set panna cottas. Add a generous topping of the tahini crumble and dig in.