Caramel:

1 ¼ cups vanilla sugar

 ½ cup sugar

Custard:

2 fresh vanilla beans

3 cups whole milk

¾ cups vanilla sugar

3 whole eggs

6 egg yolks

PREHEAT OVEN TO 325 DEGREES

For the caramel:

Place sugar and water in a heavy saucepan

Put on medium heat and simmer until it caramelizes, a dark amber color.  Too far and it will burn and taste bitter, so keep your eye on it!

Pour the caramel into the ramekin or baking pan and let cool.  Be careful, caramel is extremely hot, hotter than boiling water.

For the custard:

Steep the vanilla and milk – put vanilla beans in milk and scald (begins to simmer), cover and let infuse for 10 -15 minutes.

Put all eggs into a large mixing bowl.  Once the milk is fully infused add the sugar and whisk vigorously. Slowly pour the milk mixture into the egg and sugar mixture while whisking. Be sure to scrape all the seeds in the pod into this mixture.

Save the scraped pods for future vanilla sugar infusions.

Pour the custard base into the mold.  Place in a water bath in the oven and cook until set and a cake tester or toothpick comes out clean, 1 – 1 ½ hours depending on size.