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1
Preheat your oven to 300F Make sure you have a kettle of boiling water ready.
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2
Line a shallow baking pan with a small kitchen towel.
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3
Use a pairing knife to slit the vanilla bean and scrape the seeds into a medium saucepan.
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4
Add the heavy cream and stir to mix.
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5
Put the pan over medium-low heat and heat the mixture until bubbles form around the edges and steam rises from the surface.
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6
Remove from the heat and let the mixture steep for 15 minutes.
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7
Whisk the egg yolks, salt, and 1/4 of sugar in a large bowl until smooth and blended.
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8
Pour the cream, a little at a time, into the egg mixture, while stirring until blended.
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9
Pour the mixture through a fine sieve over the bowl.
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10
Divide the mixture among four 6 oz.
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11
ramekins and put the ramekins in the lined baking dish.
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12
Add the boiling water to fill the pan halfway up the sides of the ramekins.
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13
Cover the pan loosely with aluminum foil and place the pan on a rack in the middle of the oven.
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14
Bake the custard for 25-30 minutes until the custard is just set around the edges.
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15
Transfer the ramekins to a wire rack to cool to room temperature.
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16
Once cooled, cover and chill for at least 4 hours.
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17
Put 2 teaspoons of sugar on top of each custard and caramelize the sugar with either a blow torch or the broiler in your oven.
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18
Serve immediately.
