Arrange six 4-ounce ramekins in a 9x13 baking dish and set aside.

Split the vanilla bean in half and scrape out the seeds with the dull (non-cutting) side of a paring knife.

In a medium saucepan, combine heavy cream, 4 tablespoons of the sugar, vanilla bean pod, vanilla bean seeds, and salt. Cook over medium heat, until it begins to simmer.

Once the cream begins to simmer, remove the pan from heat, cover, and let stand for 15 minutes to allow the vanilla bean to infuse into the cream.

When your cream is almost done infusing, separate your eggs. Place the yolks in a medium-sized mixing bowl; save the whites for another purpose. Whisk the remaining 6 tablespoons of sugar into the yolks.

While whisking the yolks continuously, slowly add one ladle (about ¼ or ⅓ cup) of hot cream in a thin stream. Do this two or three more times. While whisking, slowly add the remaining cream to the egg mixture, followed by the vanilla extract.

Strain the mixture through a fine mesh sieve into a second mixing bowl and discard the vanilla bean pod.

Divide the custard between the ramekins, filling each one just up to the inner rim, or about three-quarters of the way full.

Bring a kettle or pot of water to a boil. Fill the pan with the hot water until the water comes about two-thirds of the way up the side of the ramekins.

Transfer the pan with the custards to the oven and bake for 38 to 40 minutes.

Remove the baking dish with the finished custards from the oven and set on a wire cooling rack. Let the custards cool in the water until you can safely pick up the ramekins by the rim with your fingers.

Once removed from the water bath, let each custard rest on the cooling rack for about 15 more minutes. Use a spoon to skim any bubbles off the top, then cover each ramekin with plastic wrap and store in the fridge. Chill for at least 4 hours, or up to 4 days, before serving.

When ready to serve, remove the custards from fridge. Sprinkle the surface of each custard evenly with about 1 teaspoon of granulated sugar.

Ignite your torch. Hold the flame about 4 inches from the surface of the sugar. Using a circular motion, move the flame across the surface.

Sprinkle each of the custards with an additional teaspoon of sugar and brûlée the surface again.

Cool for at 2 minutes, and serve within 20 minutes.