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It's my conviction that the new year calls for a tasty finale. At a time often characterised by gloomy days, a small indulgence goes a long way. Granted, I'm not after anything overly rich, but the likes of this light yoghurt panna cotta fits the bill perfectly. At first sight, it could easily pass for a fancy breakfast pot.

Yoghurt Panna Cotta with Tahini-Oat Topping

This recipe yields a generous amount of topping for the panna cotta. Store the remainder in an airtight container 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

Begin by putting the gelatine sheets in a small bowl of cool water. Leave them to soften for roughly 5 mins, until pliable. Next, pour off the water and press out the extra water. Reserve for later.

Using a small pot, combine the cream with the honey, vanilla paste, and salt. Warm over a low flame until warmed through without letting it boil. Turn off the heat and whisk in the squeezed gelatine until it is totally melted. Then, mix in the Greek yoghurt until well combined. Spoon the blend into four small glasses and chill in the fridge for several hours, until firmly set.

Meanwhile, prepare the crumble. Heat the oven to 190°C (170°C fan)/375°F/gas 5. Prepare a tray with greaseproof paper. In a mixing 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. Pour it onto the prepared tray and cook for 18 to 22 minutes, until golden brown. Once baked, cool entirely, then break into pieces into irregular pieces.

Next, cook the bananas: in a small pan, gently heat the honey with two tablespoons of water. Stir in the banana slices and cook until they are tender and the mixture becomes like a glaze. Take off the stove and allow to cool slightly.

To serve, top each panna cotta on top of the custards. Finish with the tahini crumble and enjoy straight away.