Heat the cream. Pour the cream into a saucepan and warm it over medium heat until it is steaming and just starting to bubble around the edges. Do not boil it hard. Turn off the heat and let it sit for about 5 minutes.

Whisk yolks and sugar. In a bowl, whisk egg yolks, sugar, salt, and vanilla until it looks slightly lighter and smooth. You do not need to whip air into it, just combine well.

Temper the eggs. Slowly pour a little warm cream into the yolk mixture while whisking. Keep going in a thin stream until most of the cream is mixed in. This prevents eggy lumps and keeps the custard silky.

Strain the mixture through a fine sieve into a measuring jug. It catches any tiny bits and makes pouring easier. Not required, but it helps.

Fill ramekins. Place ramekins in a baking dish, then pour custard into each one.

Add the water bath. Carefully pour hot water into the baking dish so it comes about halfway up the sides of the ramekins.

Bake at 325 F (about 160 C) until the edges look set but the center still has a slight jiggle, around 30 to 40 minutes. Start checking early.

Remove ramekins from the water bath and cool at room temperature, then refrigerate for at least 4 hours, or overnight.

Right before serving, sprinkle a thin, even layer of sugar over the top. Torch until it melts and turns deep golden. Let it sit for 1 to 2 minutes to harden.