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I firmly believe that the first month still deserves a tasty finale. At a time often characterised by grey skies, a spark of joy can lift spirits. Granted, I'm not after decadent, heavy desserts, but something like this creamy yoghurt-based dessert fits the bill perfectly. At first sight, it might be mistaken for a decadent yoghurt bowl.

Yoghurt Panna Cotta with Tahini-Oat Topping

You'll have a generous amount of topping for four servings. Store the remainder in an tightly-closed tub 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

Soak the gelatine sheets in a little dish of chilled water. Let them sit for roughly 5 mins, until pliable. Next, pour off the water and remove any excess liquid. Reserve for later.

Using a small pot, mix the whipping cream with the honey, vanilla paste, and salt. Cook on a low heat until warmed through taking care not to boil. Turn off the heat and whisk in the prepared gelatine until it is fully incorporated. Vigorously whisk in the Greek yoghurt until smooth. Divide the custard into serving pots and place in the refrigerator for a couple of hours, until completely set.

While that chills, make the crumble. Set your oven to 190°C (170°C fan)/375°F/gas 5. Prepare a tray with baking paper. Combine in a bowl the oats, flour, sugar, sesame seeds, salt, and cinnamon. Mix well to combine. Pour in the melted butter and tahini, then combine well so everything is evenly coated. Tip the blend onto the baking tray and cook for 18 to 22 minutes, until nicely browned. Once baked, cool entirely, then break into pieces into rough bits.

Next, cook the bananas: place in a pot, gently heat the honey with two tablespoons of water. Stir in the banana slices and simmer until they are tender and the syrup thickens slightly syrupy. Take off the stove and allow to cool slightly.

To serve, spoon the warm bananas onto the chilled desserts. Finish with the tahini crumble and serve immediately.