Set your oven to 325°F (160°C). I like to do this first so it’s nice and hot by the time we’re ready to bake the custards.
Pour your 2 cups of heavy cream into a medium saucepan. Warm it over medium heat until it just starts to simmer. You’ll see little bubbles forming around the edges.Important: Don’t let it boil! We’re warming it, not cooking it. Once it’s warm, remove it from the heat and stir in your ½ teaspoon of vanilla extract.
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together: 4 large egg yolks, ¼ cup of granulated sugar, and ⅛ teaspoon of salt
Whisk it until the mixture looks pale and thick. It’ll take a minute or two, but it’s worth it. You’re creating that silky base that makes crème brûlée so luscious.
Now we combine the warm cream with the egg mixture, but slowly. Start by adding a little bit of the warm cream while whisking constantly.
Then slowly add the rest, still whisking. This keeps the eggs from scrambling. (We want custard, not sweet scrambled eggs!)
Pour your custard through a fine mesh sieve into a large measuring cup or bowl. This catches any bits of cooked egg and makes sure your custard is super smooth.
Grab 4 ramekins (6-ounce size) and divide the mixture evenly between them.Pro tip: Put the ramekins in a big baking dish before you fill them. Way less mess. Pour hot water into the baking dish (carefully!) until it comes halfway up the sides of the ramekins. This gentle water bath helps the custards cook evenly and keeps them from cracking.
Now pop the whole dish into your preheated oven.
Bake for 35–40 minutes, or until the custards are just set but still a tiny bit wobbly in the center. You want them to jiggle like Jello, not slosh around like soup.
Take the ramekins out of the water bath. Let them cool on the counter to room temperature.
Then cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or until chilled.
