Ingredients:

  • 3 cups heavy cream (minimum 36% fat)
  • 1 whole Tahitian vanilla bean, split and scraped
  • 0.5 cup granulated sugar
  • 0.125 tsp fine sea salt
  • 6 large egg yolks, room temperature
  • 0.5 tsp vanilla bean paste
  • 6 tbsp superfine sugar

Instructions:

  1. Pour the 3 cups heavy cream into a medium saucepan. Add the scraped seeds and the pod from the Tahitian vanilla bean. Bring the cream to a gentle simmer over medium heat until small bubbles form around the edges. Remove from heat, cover, and let sit for 15 minutes.
  2. In a separate bowl, whisk the 6 egg yolks with 0.5 cup granulated sugar and the sea salt until pale and slightly thickened. Gradually whisk about half a cup of the warm cream into the yolk mixture. Whisk in the remaining cream and the 0.5 tsp vanilla bean paste. Strain the entire mixture through a fine mesh sieve into a clean pitcher.
  3. Place your ramekins inside a large roasting pan and set aside. Divide the custard evenly among the 6 ramekins. Pour hot water into the roasting pan until it reaches halfway up the sides of the ramekins. Bake at 300°F (150°C) for 35-45 minutes until the edges are set but the center jiggles slightly like Jello.
  4. Remove ramekins from the water, cool to room temperature, then refrigerate for at least 3 hours (or up to 2 days). Just before serving, sprinkle 1 tbsp superfine sugar evenly over each cold custard. Use a kitchen torch to melt the sugar using a circular motion until it turns deep amber and starts bubbling. Wait 2 minutes for it to harden into a glass like shell.