Ingredients

• 2 cups Heavy cream (or double cream)

• 1 Vanilla bean (whole)

• 5 Large egg yolks (room temperature)

• ½ cup Granulated white sugar (plus extra for the topping)

• Pinch of salt

Directions

1. Infuse the Cream

• Preheat your oven to 325°F (160°C).

• Pour the heavy cream into a medium saucepan.

• Prep the Bean: Place the vanilla bean flat on a cutting board. Run a sharp paring knife down the center to split it open lengthwise. Use the back of the knife to scrape out all the tiny black seeds.

• Add both the seeds and the empty pod into the saucepan with the cream.

• Heat over medium heat until it just begins to simmer (do not let it come to a rolling boil). Remove from heat, cover, and let it sit for 15–30 minutes to steep.

2. Prepare the Base

• In a medium bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, ½ cup sugar, and salt until the mixture is pale yellow and slightly thickened (about 2 minutes).

3. Temper the Eggs

• Remove the vanilla pod from the cream (don't throw it away; see the tip below!).

• Slowly pour about ¼ cup of the warm cream into the egg mixture while whisking constantly. This warms the eggs gently so they don't scramble.

• Gradually pour in the remaining cream, whisking constantly until smooth.

• Optional: Pour the mixture through a fine-mesh sieve into a large measuring cup to remove any bits of cooked egg or chalaza for a perfectly smooth texture.

4. Bake

• Place 4–6 ramekins into a large roasting pan or baking dish.

• Divide the custard evenly among the ramekins.

• Water Bath: Pour hot water into the roasting pan until it reaches halfway up the sides of the ramekins.

• Bake for 30–40 minutes. The centers should still be slightly jiggly (like Jell-O) when you gently shake the pan, but the edges should be set.

5. Chill

• Remove ramekins from the water bath and let them cool to room temperature on a wire rack.

• Cover loosely with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours (or up to 3 days).

6. The "Brûlée" (Burnt Sugar)

• Right before serving, remove from the fridge.

• Sprinkle about 1 teaspoon of granulated sugar evenly over the top of each custard.

• Use a kitchen torch to melt the sugar until it turns a deep amber color and forms a hard shell. (If you don't have a torch, you can place them under a very hot broiler for 1–2 minutes, watching closely).

• Let the sugar harden for a minute, then serve immediately.