A Delicious Recipe for Yoghurt Panna Cotta with Tahini-Banana Topping

I firmly believe that the first month still deserves a sweet treat. In a period that can be dreary weather, a small indulgence is essential. Granted, I'm not after anything overly rich, but something like this light yoghurt panna cotta is absolutely perfect. At first sight, it could easily pass for a special morning parfait.

Yoghurt Panna Cotta with Banana and Tahini Crumble

You'll have more crumble than needed for the panna cotta. Store the remainder in an tightly-closed tub for a handy textured garnish 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 little dish of chilled water. Allow them to soak for 5 minutes or so, until pliable. Next, pour off the water and remove the extra water. Reserve for later.

Place in a pan, mix the whipping cream with the honey, vanilla paste, and salt. Cook on a low heat until warmed through but not boiling. Remove from the heat and whisk in the squeezed gelatine until it is totally melted. Vigorously whisk in the Greek yoghurt until well combined. Divide the custard into individual ramekins and place in the refrigerator for at least two hours, until firmly set.

Now for the crumble. Set your oven to 190°C (170°C fan)/375°F/gas 5. Prepare a tray with baking paper. In a mixing bowl the oats, flour, sugar, sesame seeds, salt, and cinnamon. Stir together thoroughly. Pour in the melted butter and tahini, then stir until coated so everything is evenly coated. Spread the mixture onto the prepared tray and cook for 18 to 22 minutes, until nicely browned. Remove from the oven, let it cool completely, then break into pieces into irregular pieces.

To prepare the bananas: using a saucepan, warm the honey with two tablespoons of water. Put in the bananas and simmer until they soften slightly and the mixture becomes like a glaze. Turn off the heat and let it cool a bit.

Finally, divide the banana mixture over the set panna cottas. Finish with the tahini crumble and dig in.