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I firmly believe that the new year still deserves a tasty finale. In a period that can be dreary weather, a little sweetness can lift spirits. I'm not suggesting decadent, heavy desserts, but something like this light yoghurt panna cotta hits the spot. If you glance quickly, it could easily pass for a fancy breakfast pot.

Yoghurt Panna Cotta with Tahini-Oat Topping

This recipe yields more crumble than needed for four servings. Save the excess in an sealed jar 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

Begin by putting the gelatine sheets in a small bowl of cool water. Leave them to soften for roughly 5 mins, until they are soft. Next, pour off the water and remove remaining moisture. Reserve for later.

In a small saucepan, mix the whipping cream with the honey, vanilla paste, and salt. Heat gently until hot taking care not to boil. Turn off the heat and stir in the squeezed gelatine until it is totally melted. Incorporate the Greek yoghurt until smooth. Pour the mixture into four small glasses and refrigerate for a couple of hours, until firmly set.

Meanwhile, prepare the crumble. Set your oven to 190°C (170°C fan)/375°F/gas 5. Cover a baking sheet with greaseproof paper. Using a large 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 evenly coated. Spread the mixture onto the prepared tray and place in the oven for 18 to 22 minutes, until crisp and coloured. Take it out, allow to cool fully, then break it up into irregular pieces.

Next, cook the bananas: place in a pot, warm the honey with two tablespoons of water. Stir in the banana slices and cook until they soften slightly and the syrup thickens slightly syrupy. Remove from the heat and allow to cool slightly.

To serve, top each panna cotta onto the chilled desserts. Finish with the tahini crumble and serve immediately.