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My stance is that the first month still deserves a delightful dessert. During a month that can be grey skies, a spark of joy is essential. Granted, I'm not after dense confections, but the likes of this creamy yoghurt-based dessert fits the bill perfectly. At first sight, it might be mistaken for a special morning parfait.

Yoghurt Panna Cotta with Tahini-Oat Topping

You'll have a generous amount of topping for the panna cotta. Store the remainder in an airtight container 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

First, place the gelatine sheets in a small bowl of chilled water. Allow them to soak for 5 minutes or so, until pliable. Afterwards, discard the water and gently squeeze out any excess liquid. Reserve for later.

Using a small pot, mix the whipping cream with the honey, vanilla paste, and salt. Warm over a low flame until warmed through but not boiling. Turn off the heat and add the squeezed gelatine until it is fully incorporated. Then, mix in the Greek yoghurt thoroughly. Spoon the blend into individual ramekins and refrigerate 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 parchment paper. In a mixing bowl the oats, flour, sugar, sesame seeds, salt, and cinnamon. Stir together thoroughly. Add the melted butter and tahini, then stir until coated so everything is nicely mixed. Pour it onto the baking tray and cook for 18 to 22 minutes, until golden brown. Remove from the oven, let it cool completely, then break into pieces into rustic chunks.

For the bananas: place in a pot, combine the honey with two tablespoons of water. Stir in the banana slices and simmer until they begin to soften and the liquid reduces a bit sticky. Take off the stove and allow to cool slightly.

To serve, divide the banana mixture on top of the custards. Sprinkle over the tahini crumble and serve immediately.