Rich Vanilla Custard with Hard Caramelized Sugar Top

Preheat your oven to 150°C. Place a large roasting pan in the oven and fill it halfway with hot water to create a bain-marie.

Split the vanilla bean lengthwise and scrape out the seeds. In a medium saucepan, combine the heavy cream, vanilla seeds, and vanilla pod. Heat over medium heat until just simmering, then remove from heat and let it steep for 15 minutes.

In a separate bowl, whisk the egg yolks with 100 g of granulated sugar and a pinch of salt until pale and slightly thickened.

Slowly pour the warm cream mixture into the egg yolk mixture, whisking continuously to temper the eggs. Remove the vanilla pod.

Strain the custard mixture through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean bowl or pitcher to ensure a silky smooth texture.

Carefully pour the strained custard into four 150 ml ramekins. Place the ramekins into the prepared water bath in the oven.

Bake for 35-45 minutes, or until the edges are set but the center still has a slight jiggle. Carefully remove the ramekins from the water bath and let them cool completely on a wire rack.

Once cooled, cover the ramekins and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, or preferably overnight. Just before serving, sprinkle 1 tablespoon of granulated sugar evenly over the top of each chilled custard. Using a kitchen torch, caramelize the sugar until it forms a hard, amber crust.