🔗 Share this article

My stance is that January calls for a sweet treat. In a period often characterised by grey skies, a little sweetness can lift spirits. Granted, I'm not after dense confections, but the likes of this refreshing set custard hits the spot. With a casual look, it might be mistaken for a fancy breakfast pot.

Creamy Yoghurt Custard with Tahini-Oat Topping

This recipe yields more crumble than needed for this dessert. Save the excess in an sealed jar for a handy 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

Soak the gelatine sheets in a ramekin of chilled water. Let them sit for roughly 5 mins, until they are soft. Next, pour off the water and press out any excess liquid. Put them to one side.

Place in a pan, add the cream with the honey, vanilla paste, and salt. Warm over a low flame until hot taking care not to boil. Remove from the heat and whisk in the prepared gelatine until it is totally melted. Then, mix in the Greek yoghurt thoroughly. Divide the custard into individual ramekins and chill in the fridge for several hours, until solid.

Meanwhile, prepare the crumble. Set your oven to 190°C (170°C fan)/375°F/gas 5. Line a small baking tray with baking paper. Combine in a 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 well covered. Tip the blend 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 it up into rustic chunks.

To prepare the bananas: using a saucepan, gently heat the honey with two tablespoons of water. Add the sliced bananas and cook until they begin to soften and the mixture becomes slightly syrupy. Take off the stove and allow to cool slightly.

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