Like just about everything in cooking, the success of this Burnt Cream depends on the quality of the ingredients. If you can, buy farm eggs and really good cream.

1 quart of heavy cream
1/2 cup of sugar
6 large egg yolks
1 Tbsp of vanilla extract (you can also used 1 vanilla bean)
1/2 cup of packed brown sugar

• Preheat the oven to 300° F
• Prepare a large tray or roasting pan that can accommodate 6 shallow baking dishes.
• If vanilla bean is used, cut it lengthwise and scrape out the tiny black seeds and combine with the cream in a heavy saucepan.
• Bring to a boil, remove from the heat and set aside to steep for 15 minutes.
• If vanilla extract is used, mix it with the sugar in a medium-size bowl and combine with the egg yolks. Set aside.
• In the meantime scald the milk. Add it slowly to the egg yolk mixture.
• Pour the cream and egg yolk mixture into the shallow baking dishes.
• After putting the tray in the preheated oven, add enough boiling water to the tray to reach halfway up the sides of the baking dish. This is called a bain-marie.
• Bake for ?? hour or until the mixture is set in the center but still trembling.
• Refrigerate for at least 6 hours or overnight.
• Remove from the refrigerator; sieve the brown sugar evenly over the top of the baked cream.
• Glaze under the broiler until the sugar forms a crust. Stay close to be ready to remove it as soon as needed.
• Return the custards to the refrigerator for 15 minutes before serving.