An Inspired Creation for Yoghurt Panna Cotta with Tahini-Banana Topping

My stance is that the first month still deserves a sweet treat. During a month often characterised by gloomy days, a little sweetness is essential. Granted, I'm not after anything overly rich, but something like this light yoghurt panna cotta is absolutely perfect. With a casual look, it might be mistaken for a decadent yoghurt bowl.

Creamy Yoghurt Custard with Tahini-Oat Topping

This recipe yields more crumble than needed for the panna cotta. Store the remainder in an sealed jar to enjoy as a 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

First, place the gelatine sheets in a ramekin of cold water. Allow them to soak for about five minutes, until they are soft. Next, pour off the water and gently squeeze out remaining moisture. Set them aside.

Using a small pot, combine the cream with the honey, vanilla paste, and salt. Heat gently until steaming taking care not to boil. Take the pan off the stove and add the prepared gelatine until it is totally melted. Incorporate the Greek yoghurt until well combined. Spoon the blend into individual ramekins and chill in the fridge for several hours, until firmly set.

Meanwhile, prepare the crumble. Heat the oven to 190°C (170°C fan)/375°F/gas 5. Line a small baking 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 combine well so everything is evenly coated. Spread the mixture onto the prepared tray and bake for 18 to 22 minutes, until nicely browned. Remove from the oven, let it cool completely, then crumble it up into rough bits.

To prepare the bananas: using a saucepan, warm the honey with two tablespoons of water. Stir in the banana slices and cook until they soften slightly and the mixture becomes slightly syrupy. Turn off the heat and set aside to cool.

Finally, top each panna cotta over the set panna cottas. Sprinkle over the tahini crumble and dig in.