Halve the vanilla pod and scrape out the seeds with the back of a knife. Put the vanilla seeds in a mixing bowl. Place the vanilla pod and cream in a saucepan and heat over medium heat until just scalded. Remove from the heat and set aside.

Whisk egg yolks, vanilla seeds, and sugar in a bowl for a couple of minutes or until pale. Remove the vanilla pod from the warm cream and slowly pour the cream into the egg mixture, whisking continuously until well combined.

Note: Whisking by hand instead of using an electric mixer helps create a smoother mixture with very little or no foam or bubbles, reducing the risk of air pockets during baking.

Strain the mixture and return it to a saucepan. Cook over low heat for a couple of minutes until the cream coats the back of a spoon.

Note: Briefly cooking the cream on the stovetop helps dissolve any foam in the mixture, distributes the vanilla seeds evenly throughout the cream, and shortens the baking time. It also helps the cream set evenly and reduces the risk of curdling in the oven.

Place 6 ramekins in a deep roasting pan lined with a folded tea towel. Divide the cream evenly among the ramekins. Pour boiling water into the pan until it comes halfway up the sides of the ramekins.

Note: If any foam or bubbles appear on the surface, quickly run a blowtorch over the tops before baking to remove them.