1-quart heavy cream

1 cup granulated sugar (plus 8 teaspoons sugar for topping)

1 vanilla bean, split and scraped (or 1 Tablespoon vanilla extract)

8 large egg yolks

In a medium saucepan, combine the cream, 1/2 cup of the granulated sugar, and the vanilla bean and pulp over medium heat. Bring to a gentle boil, whisking to dissolve the sugar. In a small mixing bowl, whisk the egg yolks and the remaining 1/2 cup of granulated sugar together. Whisk 1 cup of the hot cream mixture into the egg yolk mixture until smooth. Slowly pour this mixture into the hot cream mixture, whisk for 2 minutes, and remove from the heat. (Note; If you’re using vanilla extract, add it to the custard at this point.) Remove the bean pod and strain the mixture through a fine-mesh sieve. (If you are using vanilla extract, you can skip straining the custard.)

Preheat the oven to 325ºF. Fill six to eight 6-ounce custard cups with equal portions of the cream mixture. Place the cups in a deep baking dish large enough to accommodate them comfortably without touching them. Fill the baking dish with enough hot water to come halfway up the sides of the cups. Bake in the lower third of the oven until just set, about 1 hour. Remove from the oven and let cool. Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours.

Before serving, sprinkle 1 teaspoon of sugar on the top of each custard. One at a time, using a kitchen blowtorch, approach the sugar with the torch at a low angle until the inner blue flame is 1/4 inch above the surface, and move the flame in a continuous motion over the surface until the sugar has caramelized. Or, preheat the broiler, sprinkle the sugar over the custards, and slide the dishes under the broiler. Broil until the sugar caramelizes, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove and allow the custards to cool again. Refrigerate and serve chilled