Over medium heat in a medium pot, add cream and vanilla and bring to a gentle boil; stirring often. Turn off heat and set pot aside
In small bowl, whisk together 6 egg yolks and 1/2 cup sugar. Whisking quickly, slowly drizzle a small amount of the hot cream mixture into the egg yolks and sugar. Repeat this step once more.
Slowly add the egg mixture into the hot cream mixture, whisking rapidly to prevent cooking the egg.
Place a fine mesh strainer over a medium bowl and pour the custard mixture into the strainer.
Set 6-4 oz ramekins on a roasting pan or lipped baking sheet. Fill each ramekin 2/3 full. Pour enough boiling water into roasting pan/baking sheet to come up halfway the sides of the ramekins. Cover pan tightly with foil and bake for 30 minutes or until the custard is just set.
Remove ramekins from pan and let cool for 30 min. Chill completely (2 hours +) in the fridge.
Remove from fridge and sprinkle a fine, even dusting of sugar over the surface of each custard. Use a kitchen torch to evenly brown the sugar (it should be bubbling and golden brown). If you don't have a torch, broil for 30-60 seconds, watching carefully to prevent burning.
Chill to set the crust (30-60 minutes). Serve promptly once removing from the fridge.
Notes
*Note: These are best the first day. If you put them back in the fridge too long, the sugar crust becomes liquidy.