Place 1/4 cup milk in small bowl; sprinkle 2 teaspoons unflavored gelatin over. Let stand 20 minutes to soften. Set gelatin mixture aside.

In a large saucier, combine the milk and cream and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Immediately turn off the heat and set aside.

In measuring cup used for milk, whisk egg yolks and corn starch. Set aside

In small non-stick skillet, melt the butter over medium-high heat. Stir in the brown sugar and cook 5 to 7 minutes, stirring constantly, to caramelize the mixture. Youll smell a characteristic nutty-caramel odor when the butter browns, signaling that the mixture is ready. Dont overdo this or it will taste burned.

Whisking constantly, gradually add the butter/brown sugar mixture to the hot milk/cream mixture. Whisk briskly! If the mixture isnt smooth, blend with a hand blender or pour through a fine sieve.

Into the bowl of yolks/cornstarch, whisk about 1/2 cup of the hot milk mixture to temper the yolks. Then whisk this miixture back into the hot milk in the saucepan. Whisking constantly, cook over medium-high heat until thick and just boiling. Add gelatin mixture and whisk until dissolved. When the mixture thickens, the whisk will leave trail marks on the mixture and a few large bubbles will boil up to the top. Turn off the heat. Whisk in vanilla and optional rum.

Pour into ramekins, cover with plastic, at least 2 hours or overnight. Serve chilled.

Notes: This was a great tasting recipe but labor intensive. Find a way to simplify