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I firmly believe that the first month calls for a tasty finale. During a month that can be grey skies, a little sweetness can lift spirits. I'm not suggesting decadent, heavy desserts, but the likes of this refreshing set custard is absolutely perfect. If you glance quickly, it might be mistaken for a fancy breakfast pot.

Creamy Yoghurt Custard with Tahini-Oat Topping

This recipe yields more crumble than needed for four servings. Store the remainder in an tightly-closed tub as a ready-made crunchy snack 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 press out remaining moisture. Reserve for later.

In a small saucepan, mix the whipping cream with the honey, vanilla paste, and salt. Cook on a low heat until steaming taking care not to boil. Remove from the heat and whisk in the squeezed gelatine until it is totally melted. Incorporate the Greek yoghurt thoroughly. Divide the custard into individual ramekins and chill in the fridge for several hours, until solid.

While that chills, make the crumble. Set your oven to 190°C (170°C fan)/375°F/gas 5. Line a small baking tray with parchment paper. In a mixing bowl the oats, flour, sugar, sesame seeds, salt, and cinnamon. Mix well to combine. Add the melted butter and tahini, then combine well so everything is evenly coated. Pour it onto the baking tray and place in the oven for 18 to 22 minutes, until crisp and coloured. Take it out, cool entirely, then break into pieces into rough bits.

Next, cook the bananas: in a small pan, gently heat the honey with two tablespoons of water. Add the sliced bananas and simmer until they are tender and the syrup thickens a bit sticky. Remove from the heat and allow to cool slightly.

Finally, divide the banana mixture onto the chilled desserts. Sprinkle over the tahini crumble and enjoy straight away.