🔗 Share this article

My stance is that the new year still deserves a delightful dessert. During a month that can be grey skies, a little sweetness goes a long way. I'm not suggesting dense confections, but something like this creamy yoghurt-based dessert fits the bill perfectly. At first sight, it resembles a decadent yoghurt bowl.

Yoghurt Panna Cotta with Tahini-Oat Topping

Prepare more crumble than needed for four servings. Store the remainder in an tightly-closed tub for a handy crispy treat later on.

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. Leave them to soften for roughly 5 mins, until they are soft. Afterwards, discard the water and remove the extra water. Put them to one side.

Using a small pot, mix the whipping 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 softened gelatine until it is fully incorporated. Vigorously whisk in the Greek yoghurt until well combined. Spoon the blend into four small glasses and place in the refrigerator for several hours, until completely set.

While that chills, make the crumble. Heat the oven to 190°C (170°C fan)/375°F/gas 5. Cover a baking sheet with baking paper. Combine in a bowl the oats, flour, sugar, sesame seeds, salt, and cinnamon. Toss to blend. Add the melted butter and tahini, then stir until coated so everything is well covered. Spread the mixture onto the lined sheet and place in the oven for 18 to 22 minutes, until golden brown. Once baked, let it cool completely, then break it up into rough bits.

Next, cook the bananas: place in a pot, warm the honey with two tablespoons of water. Add the sliced bananas and cook until they soften slightly and the mixture becomes a bit sticky. Remove from the heat and allow to cool slightly.

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