1.  Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.

2.  Place the cream, vanilla bean and its pulp into a medium saucepan set over medium-high heat and bring to a boil. Remove from the heat, cover and allow to sit for 15 minutes. Remove the vanilla bean and reserve for another use.

3.  In a medium bowl, whisk together 1/2 cup sugar and the egg yolks until well blended and it just starts to lighten in color. Add the cream a little at a time, stirring continually. Pour the liquid into 6 (7 to 8-ounce) ramekins. Place the ramekins into a large cake pan or roasting pan. Pour enough hot water into the pan to come halfway up the sides of the ramekins. Bake just until the creme brulee is set, but still trembling in the center, approximately 40 to 45 minutes. Remove the ramekins from the roasting pan and refrigerate for at least 2 hours and up to 3 days.

4.  Remove the creme brulee from the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes prior to browning the sugar on top. Divide the remaining 1/2 cup vanilla sugar equally among the 6 dishes and spread evenly on top. Using a torch, melt the sugar and form a crispy top. Allow the creme brulee to sit for at least 5 minutes before serving.

• 1 kg glutinous/sticky rice
• 1/4 kg dried red kidney beans
• 1 kg granulated sugar
• grated dry coconut meat from 2 medium-sized coconuts
• previously boiled hot water

1)  Soak the red kidney beans in water for five hours, then discard the water.

2)  In a pot filled with water, boil the beans  for about an hour. Discard the water again.

3)  Return the beans to the pot and add water, then add half of the sugar. Boil for another hour or longer, or until beans become mushy.

3)  Using a masher or a fork, mash the beans finely, then set aside.

For the mochi:

1)  Soak glutinous rice in water overnight. Discard the rice water, then ground (ground glutinous rice can be bought in most wet markets or groceries).

2)  Knead the rice dough into a long, thin roll, then cut into three-inch pieces.
Flatten each piece into rectangles, spoon in some filling, then roll.  Seal the edges by crimping the dough closed on both ends of the roll.  Arrange the rolls in a ceramic baking pan.

3)  Soak the grated coconut meat in about five cups of hot water for a few minutes, then squeeze out the cream. Sieve the meat and set the coconut cream aside. This is the first extraction.

4) Repeat the process, this time using a fresh batch of hot water, about six to eight cups.  This is the second extraction.  Dissolve the remaining sugar, or adjust depending on how sweet you want it, in this cream.

5)  Pour the coconut cream from the second extraction onto the prepared mochi rolls. Cover pan with aluminum foil and bake on high for about 15-20 minutes. During the last five minutes of baking, uncover the pan, and pour in the coconut cream from the first extraction.