This silky custard is built from real vanilla bean steeped straight into heavy cream, giving it that deep, floral aromatic base before it's whisked with rich egg yolks into a pale, velvety mixture. Baked low and slow in a water bath, it sets into a tender, barely-wobbling custard with none of the rubbery overcook you get from rushing it. A stint in the fridge firms everything up, and that final torched sugar crust is what makes this dessert so satisfying to crack into — crisp, deep amber, and shattering against the spoon before you hit the cool custard underneath. There's no bread, batter, or flour anywhere in this dish, so it's naturally a great fit for a gluten free table without needing to reimagine the recipe at all. Simple, elegant, and endlessly impressive for the effort involved — this is the kind of dessert that makes people think you fussed way more than you actually did.
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Preheat the oven to 325°F (165°C). Place four 6 oz ramekins in a deep roasting pan or baking dish large enough to hold them without touching.
Pour the heavy cream into a small saucepan. Scrape the seeds from the vanilla bean into the cream and add the pod. Heat over medium heat until the cream just begins to steam and small bubbles form around the edges, about 4–5 minutes — do not let it boil. Remove from heat and let steep for 10 minutes, then discard the pod.
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