Preheat the oven to 275°F.

In a large sauce pot, add cream and 2 cups sugar. Place pot over low heat and stir until sugar is dissolved and cream is hot.

Place yolks in a large, stainless steel bowl.

Stir warm mixture into yolks a little at a time so that the temperature of the yolks increases gradually. Be sure not to separate eggs.

Add vanilla extract. Mix.

Strain mixture into a new bowl.

Fill sheet trays or casserole dishes with crème brûlée dishes.

Fill dishes with 4 ounces volume of mixture.

Carefully place in preheated oven.

Pour hot tap water onto sheet pans or casserole dishes, 2/3 of the way up the crème brûlée dishes.

Bake for 60 minutes. Product should be barely set in the center.

Remove and cool for 30 minutes at room temperature.

Remove crème brûlée dishes from sheet trays or casserole dishes and place in refrigerator.

When ready to serve, remove from refrigerator.

Sprinkle sugar on top of each brûlée.

Using a kithen blow torch, caramelize sugar to desired doneness. Allow the sugar to cool and harden.

Alternately - Turn oven to broil. Place ramekins on a cookie sheet and place under broiler. Broil just until the sugar has melted (Do not burn the sugar or try to heat the custard) - Alton.

Remove from oven and allow the sugar to cool and harden.

Serve.