Benjamina Ebuehi's Recipe for Creamy Yoghurt Custard with Tahini-Banana Topping
I firmly believe that January calls for a sweet treat. At a time that can be grey skies, a little sweetness is essential. I'm not suggesting decadent, heavy desserts, but something like this creamy yoghurt-based dessert is absolutely perfect. If you glance quickly, it resembles a special morning parfait.
Creamy Yoghurt Custard with Banana and Tahini Crumble
Prepare more crumble than needed for this dessert. Store the remainder 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
Soak the gelatine sheets in a ramekin of cool water. Leave them to soften for roughly 5 mins, until softened. Next, pour off the water and remove remaining moisture. Put them to one side.
In a small saucepan, combine the cream with the honey, vanilla paste, and salt. Heat gently until hot without letting it boil. Turn off the heat and whisk in the squeezed gelatine until it is fully incorporated. Incorporate the Greek yoghurt until smooth. Pour the mixture into individual ramekins and chill in the fridge for several hours, until firmly set.
Meanwhile, prepare the crumble. Preheat your oven to 190°C (170°C fan)/375°F/gas 5. Prepare a tray with baking 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 evenly coated. Tip the blend onto the baking tray and place in the oven for 18 to 22 minutes, until golden brown. Take it out, allow to cool fully, then crumble it up into rough bits.
For the bananas: place in a pot, warm the honey with two tablespoons of water. Stir in the banana slices and cook until they soften slightly and the mixture becomes like a glaze. Remove from the heat and let it cool a bit.
To serve, top each panna cotta on top of the custards. Finish with the tahini crumble and serve immediately.