An Inspired Recipe for Yoghurt Panna Cotta with Banana and Tahini Crumble

It's my conviction that the first month still deserves a sweet treat. During a month often characterised by gloomy days, a spark of joy is essential. This isn't about dense confections, but something like this refreshing set custard is absolutely perfect. At first sight, it might be mistaken for a fancy breakfast pot.

Creamy Yoghurt Custard with Tahini-Oat Topping

This recipe yields a generous amount of topping for four servings. Save the excess in an airtight container for a handy 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 little dish of cool water. Allow them to soak for 5 minutes or so, until they are soft. Afterwards, discard the water and gently squeeze out remaining moisture. Put them to one side.

Using a small pot, mix the whipping cream with the honey, vanilla paste, and salt. Heat gently until hot without letting it boil. Take the pan off the stove and whisk in the softened gelatine until it is completely dissolved. Then, mix in the Greek yoghurt until well combined. Divide the custard into individual ramekins and chill in the fridge for at least two hours, until firmly set.

Meanwhile, prepare the crumble. Preheat your oven to 190°C (170°C fan)/375°F/gas 5. Prepare a tray with parchment paper. In a mixing bowl the oats, flour, sugar, sesame seeds, salt, and cinnamon. Stir together thoroughly. Add the melted butter and tahini, then mix thoroughly so everything is well covered. Pour it onto the lined sheet and cook for 18 to 22 minutes, until nicely browned. Take it out, cool entirely, then crumble it up into rustic chunks.

For the bananas: place in a pot, warm the honey with two tablespoons of water. Put in the bananas and heat until they begin to soften and the syrup thickens slightly syrupy. Remove from the heat and let it cool a bit.

For assembly, top each panna cotta onto the chilled desserts. Add a generous topping of the tahini crumble and serve immediately.