Benjamina Ebuehi's Creation for Creamy Yoghurt Custard with Tahini-Banana Topping

I firmly believe that the new year isn't complete without a tasty finale. At a time that can be grey skies, a spark of joy goes a long way. I'm not suggesting dense confections, but a dessert such as this refreshing set custard hits the spot. If you glance quickly, it might be mistaken for a special morning parfait.

Creamy Yoghurt Custard with Tahini-Oat Topping

You'll have a generous amount of topping for the panna cotta. Keep the leftovers in an tightly-closed tub as a ready-made 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

First, place the gelatine sheets in a ramekin of cold water. Leave them to soften for about five minutes, until softened. Then, drain them and press out any excess liquid. Set them aside.

Place in a pan, add the cream with the honey, vanilla paste, and salt. Heat gently until hot without letting it boil. Turn off the heat and stir in the prepared gelatine until it is completely dissolved. Then, mix in the Greek yoghurt until well combined. Pour the mixture into individual ramekins and refrigerate for a couple of hours, until solid.

Meanwhile, prepare the crumble. Preheat your oven to 190°C (170°C fan)/375°F/gas 5. Prepare a tray with parchment paper. Combine in a bowl the oats, flour, sugar, sesame seeds, salt, and cinnamon. Mix well to combine. Add the melted butter and tahini, then mix thoroughly so everything is nicely mixed. Tip the blend onto the prepared tray and bake for 18 to 22 minutes, until nicely browned. Take it out, allow to cool fully, then break it up into irregular pieces.

Next, cook the bananas: in a small pan, gently heat the honey with two tablespoons of water. Add the sliced bananas and heat until they begin to soften and the mixture becomes slightly syrupy. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool.

To serve, top each panna cotta onto the chilled desserts. Add a generous topping of the tahini crumble and serve immediately.