In a large heat proof bowl (or a large liquid measuring cup) whisk together the egg yolks and ½ cup of the granulated sugar until smooth. Set aside.
Preheat the oven to 325℉. Place 6 ramekins in a large baking dish. The baking dish should be deep enough to hold about 2 inches of water. We will bake these in a water bath so begin bringing a large pot of water to a boil (I use a tea kettle)
In a large saucepan, whisk together the cream, espresso powder, and salt. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Once simmering, remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla bean paste.
Immediately take out roughly ½ cup of the hot cream and slowly and steadily stream it into the egg yolks and sugar, whisking constantly. Then, slowly and steadily stream that mixture back into the saucepan with the remaining warm cream, whisking to combine.
Divide the mixture between the 6 round ramekins in the baking dish. Pour the hot water from step #2 into the baking dish, being careful not to spill any in the custards. You will want an even layer of water, about 1 ½ inches deep.
Carefully transfer the baking dish to the preheated oven and bake for 35 minutes or until an instant read thermometer reads 170°F when inserted into the middle of one of the custards. Oven times vary, so I recommend checking at the 30 minute mark. The sides will have set a little, but the center will still be jiggly. The tops will have developed a thin layer on top, and might have bubbles.
Using gloves or a towel, carefully move the custards from the water bath and place on a wire cooling rack to cool for 1 hour. Then, chill the custards for 4 hours in the refrigerator loosely covered with cling wrap.
Sprinkle the remaining ¼ cup granulated sugar in an even layer on top of each of the custards. Use your kitchen torch to evenly toast the sugared tops of the creme brûlée. The sugar will turn golden and melt into a smooth and even layer, which will almost instantly harden. To ensure the sugar doesn’t burn, angle the torch slightly so that it isn’t hitting a small area with a full blast of heat. Be very careful doing this step to make sure nothing burns.
Serve immediately. The un-torched custard will last up to three days in the fridge.
