It's my conviction that the first month isn't complete without a sweet treat. In a period that can be grey skies, a little sweetness can lift spirits. This isn't about dense confections, but something like this light yoghurt panna cotta is absolutely perfect. At first sight, it might be mistaken for a decadent yoghurt bowl.
Yoghurt Panna Cotta with Tahini-Oat Topping
You'll have a generous amount of topping for four servings. Keep the leftovers in an airtight container to enjoy as a crispy treat 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 little dish of chilled water. Allow them to soak for roughly 5 mins, until pliable. Then, drain them and gently squeeze out any excess liquid. Put them to one side.
Place in a pan, add the cream with the honey, vanilla paste, and salt. Heat gently until steaming taking care not to boil. Remove from the heat and stir in the softened gelatine until it is totally melted. Incorporate the Greek yoghurt until smooth. Divide the custard into individual ramekins and chill in the fridge for several hours, until solid.
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. Toss to blend. Pour in the melted butter and tahini, then mix thoroughly so everything is well covered. Tip the blend onto the prepared tray and cook for 18 to 22 minutes, until golden brown. Take it out, let it cool completely, then break it up into rustic chunks.
For the bananas: place in a pot, gently heat the honey with two tablespoons of water. Stir in the banana slices and cook until they are tender and the mixture becomes slightly syrupy. Turn off the heat and set aside to cool.
For assembly, spoon the warm bananas onto the chilled desserts. Add a generous topping of the tahini crumble and serve immediately.
