An Inspired Recipe for Yoghurt Panna Cotta with Banana and Tahini Crumble

My stance is that the new year still deserves a sweet treat. In a period often characterised by gloomy days, a spark of joy goes a long way. I'm not suggesting decadent, heavy desserts, but the likes of this creamy yoghurt-based dessert is absolutely perfect. At first sight, it resembles a special morning parfait.

Yoghurt Panna Cotta with Tahini-Oat Topping

Prepare extra crumble mixture for this dessert. Keep the leftovers in an tightly-closed tub as a ready-made 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 small bowl of chilled water. Allow them to soak for about five minutes, until pliable. Then, drain them and press out any excess liquid. Reserve for later.

Using a small pot, add the cream with the honey, vanilla paste, and salt. Warm over a low flame until hot without letting it boil. Remove from the heat and stir in the squeezed gelatine until it is completely dissolved. Vigorously whisk in the Greek yoghurt until well combined. Pour the mixture into serving pots and refrigerate for at least two hours, until completely set.

Now for the crumble. Heat the oven to 190°C (170°C fan)/375°F/gas 5. Prepare a tray with greaseproof paper. In a mixing bowl the oats, flour, sugar, sesame seeds, salt, and cinnamon. Mix well to combine. Incorporate the melted butter and tahini, then combine well so everything is nicely mixed. Pour it onto the lined sheet and cook for 18 to 22 minutes, until crisp and coloured. Take it out, let it cool completely, then break into pieces into rustic chunks.

Next, cook the bananas: using a saucepan, combine the honey with two tablespoons of water. Put in the bananas and heat until they are tender and the syrup thickens slightly syrupy. Remove from the heat and let it cool a bit.

To serve, spoon the warm bananas on top of the custards. Sprinkle over the tahini crumble and serve immediately.

Bailey Brown
Bailey Brown

Elara is a tech enthusiast and writer with over a decade of experience in digital innovation and AI development.