Heat oven to 300ºF. Boil water for the water bath, preferably in a tea kettle for easy pouring. Place four 6-oz custard cups or ramekins into a 8x8 or 9x9 square pan.

Zest lemons and separate egg yolks from the whites, reserving the whites for another recipe.

Whisk together sugar and egg yolks in a medium sized bowl until it lightens in color and takes on a thick, creamy texture. Add the lemon zest and vanilla, whisk to combine.

Heat cream and milk over medium heat until bubbles start to form at the edge and the cream gets hot. Stir occasionally and do not let it boil. About 5 minutes.

Temper the egg yolks by slowly adding about ¼ cup of the hot milk and cream into the egg yolk mixture, while whisking constantly. Once incorporated repeat with another ¼ cup of the milk and cream. Then add the custard mixture back into the saucepan with the remaining milk and cream. Whisk to combine completely. Adding the hot cream too quickly to the egg yolks will result in scrambled eggs.

Allow to sit for 5 minutes to draw the lemon oil out of the zest, then strain mixture, preferably into a large measuring cup with a pour spout. Squeeze as much of liquid as possible from the lemon zest with the back of the spoon.

Divide the custard mixture equally into the ramekins. Then, create the water bath by pouring the boiling water into the pan until it's half way up the side of the custard cups. Careful not to pour water into the custard.

Bake in the water bath for 30 - 35 minutes or until centers are set. To test lightly jiggle the pan. The centers should jiggle like jello.

Remove from the water bath as soon as you can safely handle them, to stop the cooking process. Cool to room temperature then refrigerate for a minimum of three hours.

Cover each custard with 1 ½ teaspoons of white sugar, adjusting for ramekin width if needed. Brulee the tops with a kitchen torch until the sugar is caramelized. Top with a lemon garnish or fresh sliced strawberries and serve immediately.