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1
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
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2
Pour the cream into a saucepan over medium-low heat.
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3
Scrape the vanilla caviar from the vanilla bean and add it to the cream (or add the vanilla extract if using instead).
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4
Bring almost to the boil, and then turn off the heat.
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5
Place the egg yolks in a large bowl and add 3/4 cup sugar.
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6
With a whisk, mix the eggs and sugar together.
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7
Now, break out your elbow grease and take a deep breath.
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8
You're going to need to whisk the mixture like crazy for 3 or 4 minutes, until it's very light yellow in color.
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9
Place a fine mesh strainer over a large bowl.
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10
Pour the hot cream into the bowl through the strainer.
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11
To temper the egg mixture, very slowly drizzle 1 cup of the hot cream into the egg/sugar mixture, whisking constantly to prevent the eggs from cooking.
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12
Continue adding the rest of the hot cream to the bowl very slowly, whisking constantly.
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13
You can add the cream a little more rapidly as the mixture warms.
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14
Place ramekins on a rimmed baking sheet and ladle in the custard until the ramekins are three-quarters full.
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15
Place the baking sheet inside the oven, and then pour water into the baking sheet until it reaches two-thirds of the way up the ramekins.
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16
Bake until the custard is set but not brown, 35 to 40 minutes, watching carefully to avoid browning.
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17
Remove the ramekins and allow to cool.
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18
Refrigerate the custards, covered, for at least 2 hours or overnight.
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19
When you are ready to serve the dessert, sprinkle the top of each custard generously with superfine sugar.
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20
Use a kitchen torch to burn the sugar to a crisp, working quickly to avoid cooking the custard below.
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21
(You may also place the ramekins on a pan and put them right under the broiler, but you have to be careful not to affect the custard below.)
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22
Serve immediately with spoons.
