Sugar-crusted Crème Brûlée Custard

Description
Contributed by Catsrecipes Y-Group
 * Servings: 6
 * Serve with a cup of hot coffee

Ingredients

 * ½ vanilla bean
 * 2 cups half and half
 * 2 eggs
 * 2 egg yolks
 * ⅓ cup sugar
 * 12 tsp turbinado sugar

Directions

 * 1) Heat oven to 325°F.
 * 2) Place 6 ramekins in a roasting pan.
 * 3) Slit open vanilla bean and scrape out seeds.
 * 4) Place seeds in a saucepan with half and half.
 * 5) Heat until bubbles appear at the edge of pan.
 * 6) Remove from heat.
 * 7) In a bowl, whisk together eggs, egg yolks, and sugar.
 * 8) Whisk a small amount of warm half and half into egg mixture.
 * 9) Whisk egg mixture back into half and half in saucepan.
 * 10) Return to heat and cook 8 minutes until the mixture coats the back of a spoon.
 * 11) Divide mixture among ramekins.
 * 12) Place pan in oven.
 * 13) Pour hot water halfway up sides of ramekins.
 * 14) Bake 22 minutes or until custard is set but still jiggly in centers.
 * 15) Remove ramekins from pan, cool.
 * 16) Refrigerate until serving.

To serve

 * 1) Remove ramekins from refrigerator.
 * 2) Heat broiler.
 * 3) Sprinkle each ramekin with 2 tsp turbinado sugar.
 * 4) Run under broiler 3 minutes.
 * 5) Do not burn sugar.
 * 6) Cool slightly and serve.

Chocolate Variation
Omit vanilla bean, grate ½ oz semisweet chocolate into saucepan when heating half and half.