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I firmly believe that the new year calls for a tasty finale. In a period often characterised by grey skies, a small indulgence is essential. This isn't about dense confections, but something like this refreshing set custard hits the spot. At first sight, it might be mistaken for a special morning parfait.

Creamy Yoghurt Custard with Banana and Tahini Crumble

This recipe yields more crumble than needed for this dessert. Save the excess in an sealed jar for a handy 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

Begin by putting the gelatine sheets in a small bowl of chilled water. Leave them to soften for roughly 5 mins, until softened. Afterwards, discard the water and remove any excess liquid. Reserve for later.

In a small saucepan, mix the whipping cream with the honey, vanilla paste, and salt. Cook on a low heat until steaming but not boiling. Turn off the heat and whisk in the squeezed gelatine until it is completely dissolved. Then, mix in the Greek yoghurt until well combined. Divide the custard into individual ramekins and place in the refrigerator for a couple of hours, until solid.

Now for the crumble. Set your oven to 190°C (170°C fan)/375°F/gas 5. Prepare a tray with greaseproof paper. Combine in a bowl the oats, flour, sugar, sesame seeds, salt, and cinnamon. Stir together thoroughly. Incorporate the melted butter and tahini, then mix thoroughly so everything is well covered. Spread the mixture onto the lined sheet and place in the oven for 18 to 22 minutes, until crisp and coloured. Remove from the oven, let it cool completely, then break into pieces into rough bits.

For the bananas: in a small pan, warm the honey with two tablespoons of water. Put in the bananas and heat until they soften slightly and the liquid reduces a bit sticky. Remove from the heat and let it cool a bit.

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