Crème Brûlée

3 cups heavy cream
1 vanilla bean, halved lengthwise, or 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
6 large egg yolks
1/3 cup granulated sugar
Pinch of salt
3 tablespoons turbinado sugar, such as Sugar in the Raw

Put a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat oven to 325°F.
Pour cream into a 2-quart heavy saucepan.
Using the tip of a knife, scrape seeds from vanilla bean into the cream and add pod.
Heat cream over moderate heat until hot but not boiling; remove from heat and discard pod.
If using vanilla extract, do not add it yet.
Whisk together yolks, granulated sugar, and salt in a medium bowl until well combined.
Add hot cream in a slow stream, whisking constantly until combined.
Pour custard through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl if using vanilla extract whisk it in.
Ladle custard into ramekins.
Arrange ramekins in a roasting pan and add enough boiling water to pan to reach halfway up sides of ramekins.
Bake until custards are just set, 25 to 30 minutes.
With tongs, transfer custards to a rack to cool, then refrigerate, uncovered, for at least 4 hours.
Just before serving, sprinkle turbinado sugar evenly over custards.
Using a blowtorch move flame evenly back and forth close to sugar until sugar is caramelized.
Let stand until sugar is hardened, 3 to 5 minutes.
Variation:
Coffee Crème Brûlée:
Stir 1 1/2 tablespoons instant espresso powder into the hot cream and proceed as directed.