In a medium sized heat safe bowl, whisk together the egg yolks and ½ cup of 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, rosewater, almond extract, cardamom, and vanilla bean paste. Heat the mixture over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until simmering. Once simmering, remove ½ cup of the warm cream and slowly stream it into the egg yolk mixture, whisking constantly. Then, slowly stream the tempered egg yolk mixture back into the remaining cream, whisking constantly.
Run the custard through a sieve to remove any clumps and into a bowl with a spout. (I use a liquid measuring cup) Divide the mixture evenly between the 6 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 towl, 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 tightly 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.
