🔗 Share this article

I firmly believe that the new year calls for a delightful dessert. In a period typically filled with grey skies, a spark of joy is essential. Granted, I'm not after anything overly rich, but the likes of this refreshing set custard fits the bill perfectly. With a casual look, it resembles a fancy breakfast pot.

Creamy Yoghurt Custard with Tahini-Oat Topping

This recipe yields a generous amount of topping for the panna cotta. Save the excess in an sealed jar for a handy textured garnish 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 small bowl of cool water. Let them sit for 5 minutes or so, until they are soft. Afterwards, discard the water and gently squeeze out the extra water. Reserve for later.

Place in a pan, mix the whipping cream with the honey, vanilla paste, and salt. Warm over a low flame until hot but not boiling. Take the pan off the stove and stir in the squeezed gelatine until it is totally melted. Incorporate the Greek yoghurt until smooth. Pour the mixture into individual ramekins and refrigerate for several hours, until firmly set.

Meanwhile, prepare the crumble. Set your oven to 190°C (170°C fan)/375°F/gas 5. Cover a baking sheet with parchment paper. In a mixing bowl the oats, flour, sugar, sesame seeds, salt, and cinnamon. Toss to blend. Add the melted butter and tahini, then combine well so everything is nicely mixed. Pour it onto the lined sheet and place in the oven for 18 to 22 minutes, until crisp and coloured. Once baked, allow to cool fully, then break into pieces into rough bits.

For the bananas: in a small pan, warm the honey with two tablespoons of water. Put in the bananas and simmer until they begin to soften and the syrup thickens slightly syrupy. Take off the stove and set aside to cool.

To serve, top each panna cotta over the set panna cottas. Add a generous topping of the tahini crumble and serve immediately.