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It's my conviction that the first month isn't complete without a tasty finale. During a month typically filled with grey skies, a little sweetness is essential. This isn't about decadent, heavy desserts, but the likes of this refreshing set custard hits the spot. With a casual look, it resembles a decadent yoghurt bowl.

Creamy Yoghurt Custard with Tahini-Oat Topping

This recipe yields a generous amount of topping for the panna cotta. Keep the leftovers in an tightly-closed tub to enjoy as a 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. Let them sit for 5 minutes or so, until pliable. Afterwards, discard the water and press out remaining moisture. Reserve for later.

Using a small pot, combine the cream with the honey, vanilla paste, and salt. Warm over a low flame until steaming without letting it boil. Remove from the heat and stir in the squeezed gelatine until it is totally melted. Then, mix in the Greek yoghurt until smooth. Divide the custard into individual ramekins and chill in the fridge for a couple of hours, until solid.

Now for the crumble. Heat the oven to 190°C (170°C fan)/375°F/gas 5. Cover a baking sheet with parchment paper. Combine in a bowl the oats, flour, sugar, sesame seeds, salt, and cinnamon. Toss to blend. Incorporate the melted butter and tahini, then combine well so everything is evenly coated. Tip the blend onto the baking tray and bake for 18 to 22 minutes, until crisp and coloured. Once baked, allow to cool fully, then break into pieces into rough bits.

For the bananas: using a saucepan, warm the honey with two tablespoons of water. Stir in the banana slices and simmer until they soften slightly and the liquid reduces like a glaze. Take off the stove and let it cool a bit.

Finally, top each panna cotta on top of the custards. Add a generous topping of the tahini crumble and dig in.