🔗 Share this article

I firmly believe that the first month calls for a sweet treat. During a month that can be gloomy days, a little sweetness goes a long way. This isn't about dense confections, but something like this light yoghurt panna cotta hits the spot. If you glance quickly, it might be mistaken for a special morning parfait.

Creamy Yoghurt Custard with Banana and Tahini Crumble

Prepare more crumble than needed for this dessert. Save the excess in an sealed jar 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

Soak the gelatine sheets in a ramekin of cool water. Let them sit for 5 minutes or so, until they are soft. Next, pour off the water and remove the extra water. Put them to one side.

Place in a pan, mix the whipping cream with the honey, vanilla paste, and salt. Warm over a low flame until steaming taking care not to boil. Take the pan off the stove and add the prepared gelatine until it is fully incorporated. Vigorously whisk in the Greek yoghurt thoroughly. Pour the mixture into serving pots and chill in the fridge for at least two hours, until solid.

Meanwhile, prepare the crumble. Preheat your oven to 190°C (170°C fan)/375°F/gas 5. Cover a baking sheet with greaseproof paper. In a mixing 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 nicely mixed. Pour it onto the baking tray and place in the oven for 18 to 22 minutes, until crisp and coloured. Remove from the oven, cool entirely, then break into pieces into rustic chunks.

Next, cook the bananas: in a small pan, combine the honey with two tablespoons of water. Stir in the banana slices and heat until they are tender and the liquid reduces like a glaze. Turn off the heat and set aside to cool.

To serve, top each panna cotta over the set panna cottas. Add a generous topping of the tahini crumble and dig in.