Pour the cream into a saucepan. Slit the vanilla pod open lengthways and scrape out the seeds into the cream with the tip of a sharp knife, then add the pod to the pan too. Scald the cream by bringing to just below boiling point, then taking off the heat. Leave for a few minutes to infuse with the vanilla.
Whisk the caster sugar and egg yolks together in a bowl, then slowly whisk in the hot, vanilla-infused cream. Strain through a fine sieve into a jug. Pour the custard into six 125ml ramekins or custard cups.
Stand the dishes in a roasting dish and surround with enough handhot water to come halfway up their sides. Place in an oven preheated to 150°C/Gas Mark 2 and bake for about 30 minutes until the custards are just set; they should still wobble a bit if you shake the dish gently.
Lift out of the roasting dish and leave to cool, then chill thoroughly. Sprinkle a very thin, even layer of soft brown sugar over each custard and put them under a very hot grill until the sugar melts and bubbles (or use a cook’s blowtorch, if you have one). Leave to cool, return the ramekins to the fridge until the sugar is hard – just 15 minutes or so should do it – then serve.
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