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Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat the oven to 300F Fill a teakettle with water and bring to a boil.
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Put two 5- or 6-oz.
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ramekins (about 3 inches in diameter and 1-3/4 inches deep) in a square baking dish that's at least as deep as the ramekins.
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Mix the custard base:.
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Pour the cream into a small saucepan and bring just to a simmer over medium heat.
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Remove the pan from the heat, add the Grand Marnier, orange zest and vanilla extract, cover, and let sit for about 10 minutes.
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Meanwhile, in a medium mixing bowl lightly whisk the egg yolks, 2 Tbs.
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of the sugar, and a pinch of salt just to combine.
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Set aside.
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With an instant-read or a candy thermometer, check the temperature of the cream; it should be no higher than 165F (If it is, let cool to 165F before proceeding.
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).
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Lightly whisk about 1/4 cup of the cream into the yolk mixture and stir for about 30 seconds; this tempers the yolks.
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Then gently whisk in the remaining cream, stirring for about 15 seconds to blend.
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Use a light hand--you don't want to make the mixture frothy or the baked custards will have a foamy-looking surface.
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Set a fine sieve over a large Pyrex measuring cup or a heatproof bowl with a spout.
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Pour the custard base through the sieve to strain out any solids.
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Bake the custards:.
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Divide the custard base evenly among the two ramekins in the baking pan.
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There should be a little more than an inch of custard in each ramekin; it should not come all the way to the rim.
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Slowly pour hot water from the teakettle into the baking pan (don't get any water in the ramekins) until the water comes about two-thirds of the way up the sides of the ramekins.
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Carefully transfer the baking pan to the center of the oven, taking care not to slosh hot water onto yourself or into the ramekins.
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Lay a s heet of aluminum foil over the pan.
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Bake the custards until the edges are set about 1/3 inch in from the sides of the ramekins and the center is slightly jiggly (like Jell-O), 40 to 55 minutes.
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To test for doneness, reach into the oven with tongs and give one of the ramekins a gentle shake or nudge.
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If the custard responds with a wavelike motion rather than a slight jiggle, it's not firm enough; bake for another 5 minutes and check again.
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(If you're not sure about the doneness, stick an instant-read thermometer into the center of a custard-don't worry about making a hole; you'll cover it with sugar later-it should register 150 to 155F.)
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The custards should not brown or rise.
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Carefully remove the baking pan from the oven and take the ramekins out of the water bath using rubber-band-wrapped tongs or a slotted spatula.
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Let the ramekins cool on a rack at room temperature for 30 minutes and then transfer, uncovered, to the refrigerator to cool completely.
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Once the custards are refrigerator-cold, wrap each ramekin with plastic wrap.
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Refrigerate for at least 3 hours or up to 2 days before proceeding.
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Caramelize the topping:
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Just before serving, remove the ramekins from the fridge and set them on a work surface.
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Working with one custard at a time, sprinkle 1/2 to 1 teaspoons of the remaining sugar over each one-the more sugar, the thicker the crust.
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You may need to tilt and tap the ramekin to even out the layer of sugar.
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Wipe any sugar off the rim of the ramekin.
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Hold the torch flame 2 to 3 inches from the top of the custard and slowly glide it back and forth over the surface until the sugar melts and turns a deep golden brown.
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Allow the sugar to cool and harden for a few minutes, and then serve immediately, before the sugar softens and gets sticky.
