🔗 Share this article

My stance is that the new year still deserves a sweet treat. During a month often characterised by grey skies, a little sweetness can lift spirits. Granted, I'm not after anything overly rich, but a dessert such as this creamy yoghurt-based dessert fits the bill perfectly. With a casual look, it might be mistaken for a special morning parfait.

Yoghurt Panna Cotta with Banana and Tahini Crumble

This recipe yields more crumble than needed for the panna cotta. Store the remainder in an tightly-closed tub to enjoy as a crunchy snack 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

First, place the gelatine sheets in a little dish of chilled water. Leave them to soften for about five minutes, until pliable. Then, drain them and remove any excess liquid. Set them aside.

Place in a pan, mix the whipping cream with the honey, vanilla paste, and salt. Warm over a low flame until warmed through but not boiling. Take the pan off the stove and stir in the prepared gelatine until it is totally melted. Vigorously whisk in the Greek yoghurt until smooth. Divide the custard into individual ramekins and chill in the fridge for a couple of hours, until completely set.

Now for the crumble. Heat the oven to 190°C (170°C fan)/375°F/gas 5. Prepare a tray with greaseproof paper. Using a large bowl the oats, flour, sugar, sesame seeds, salt, and cinnamon. Stir together thoroughly. Incorporate the melted butter and tahini, then combine well so everything is well covered. Tip the blend onto the lined sheet and bake for 18 to 22 minutes, until golden brown. Once baked, cool entirely, then break into pieces into irregular pieces.

To prepare the bananas: using a saucepan, gently heat the honey with two tablespoons of water. Add the sliced bananas and heat until they begin to soften and the syrup thickens a bit sticky. Turn off the heat and let it cool a bit.

To serve, top each panna cotta on top of the custards. Add a generous topping of the tahini crumble and enjoy straight away.