Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat the oven to 300°F. Fill a teakettle with water and bring to a boil. Put 4 to 6 ramekins (about 3 inches in diameter and 1-3/4 inches deep) in a baking pan thats slightly taller than the ramekins. Have a cookie sheet ready to cover the baking pan. Also have a propane torch available for the bruleeing part.

Steep vanilla bean in cream: Put cream in 4 cup Pyrex measuring cup. If using a vanilla bean, cut it in half lengthwise with the tip of a paring knife and, with the back of the blade, scrape out the sticky, black seeds. Add the seeds and scraped pod halves to the cream. Whisk briefly to disperse the seeds. Microwave on high for 90 seconds or just till simmering. Set aside and let steep at least 15 minutes. If using vanilla extract, bring cream to simmer then add vanilla (no need to steep). Dont wash measuring cup.

Make custard: Meanwhile, in sauce pan off heat, lightly whisk yolks, sugar and salt just to combine. Slowly drizzle in 1/2 cup of warm cream whisking continuously to temper yolks. Pour rest in. Gently whisk over medium heat until about 160 degrees.

Set a sieve over a the measuring cup and pour the custard through the sieve to strain out any solids.

Bake custards: Divide custard evenly among 4 of the ramekins in baking pan till reaches close to top. Use additional 1 or 2 ramekins if necessary. Place baking pan on oven shelf. Slowly pour hot water from the teakettle into the baking pan (dont get water in the ramekins) until water comes about two-thirds up the sides of the ramekins. Push pan into oven and cover with cookie sheet leaving a corner open to release steam.

Bake the custards until the edges are set about 1/3 inch in from the sides of the ramekins and the center is slightly jiggly, 40 to 55 minutes. To test for doneness, reach into the oven with tongs and give one of the ramekins a gentle shake or nudge. If the custard responds with a wavelike motion rather than a slight jiggle, its not firm enough; bake for another 5 minutes and check again. (If youre not sure about the doneness, stick an instant-read thermometer into the center of a custard-dont worry about making a hole; youll cover it with sugar later-it should register 150° to 155°F.) The custards should not brown or rise.

Carefully remove the baking pan from the oven and take the ramekins out of the water bath using rubber-band-wrapped tongs or a slotted spatula. Let the ramekins cool on a rack at room temperature for 30 minutes and then transfer, uncovered, to the refrigerator to cool completely. Once the custards are refrigerator-cold, wrap each ramekin with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least 3 hours or up to 2 days before proceeding.

Caramelize the topping: Just before serving, remove the ramekins from the fridge and set them on a work surface. Working with one custard at a time, sprinkle 1/2 to 1 tsp. of the remaining sugar over each one. The more sugar, the thicker the crust. You may need to tilt and tap the ramekin to even out the layer of sugar. Wipe any sugar off the rim of the ramekin. Hold the torch flame 2 to 3 inches from the top of the custard and slowly glide it back and forth over the surface until the sugar melts and turns a deep golden brown. Allow the sugar to cool and harden for a few minutes, and then serve immediately, before the sugar softens and gets sticky.

For variations, just infuse the cream with flavorings:

Orange: Omit vanilla bean. When cream comes to a simmer, remove from the heat and immediately add 1 Tbs. Grand Marnier or Triple Sec, 2 tsp. (firmly packed) finely grated orange zest, and 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract. Steep.

Ginger: Omit vanilla. Add 1/2 tablespoon firmly packed finely grated fresh ginger to the cold cream before bringing it to a simmer. Steep.

Café au lait: Omit the vanilla. When cream comes to a simmer, remove it from the heat and whisk in 1-1/2 tsp. Medaglia dOro instant espresso powder (available from GourmetSleuth.com ) until dissolved. Steep.