Directions

1. Prepare oven – Preheat oven to 325°F (160°C). Place 4 (4-oz) ramekins in a 9x5-inch baking pan.
2. Heat cream – In a saucepan, combine cream, vanilla bean seeds and pod, salt, and 1/3 cup sugar. Heat over medium until just simmering (3–5 minutes). Remove from heat, steep 3–5 minutes, then discard vanilla pod.
3. Temper eggs – In a bowl, whisk egg yolks until smooth. Slowly whisk in hot cream mixture, a little at a time, to avoid scrambling.
4. Bake custards – Divide mixture evenly among ramekins. Pour hot tap water into the baking pan until it reaches halfway up the ramekins. Bake 40 minutes, until custards are just set but still slightly jiggly. (Internal temperature: 170–175°F.)
5. Chill – Remove ramekins from water bath and let cool 30 minutes. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 2 hours or up to overnight.
6. Caramelize topping – Sprinkle 1 1/2 tsp sugar evenly on each custard. Use a kitchen torch (or broiler) to melt and caramelize the sugar until golden and crisp. Let cool 1–2 minutes before serving.