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My stance is that the first month isn't complete without a sweet treat. At a time typically filled with grey skies, a spark of joy is essential. I'm not suggesting dense confections, but something like this light yoghurt panna cotta fits the bill perfectly. If you glance quickly, it resembles a special morning parfait.

Yoghurt Panna Cotta with Tahini-Oat Topping

You'll have a generous amount of topping for four servings. Store the remainder in an sealed jar for a handy crunchy snack for future use.

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 ramekin of chilled water. Allow them to soak for about five minutes, until they are soft. Afterwards, discard the water and gently squeeze out the extra water. Set them aside.

Place in a pan, add the cream with the honey, vanilla paste, and salt. Warm over a low flame until warmed through but not boiling. Turn off the heat and whisk in the prepared gelatine until it is completely dissolved. Incorporate the Greek yoghurt thoroughly. Divide the custard into serving pots and refrigerate for at least two hours, until completely set.

While that chills, make the crumble. Heat the oven to 190°C (170°C fan)/375°F/gas 5. Prepare a tray with baking paper. Using a large bowl the oats, flour, sugar, sesame seeds, salt, and cinnamon. Mix well to combine. Pour in the melted butter and tahini, then mix thoroughly so everything is nicely mixed. Pour it onto the prepared tray and bake for 18 to 22 minutes, until nicely browned. Take it out, allow to cool fully, then crumble it up into irregular pieces.

Next, cook the bananas: using a saucepan, gently heat the honey with two tablespoons of water. Add the sliced bananas and heat until they soften slightly and the syrup thickens a bit sticky. Remove from the heat and allow to cool slightly.

Finally, divide the banana mixture on top of the custards. Add a generous topping of the tahini crumble and dig in.