Preheat the oven to 325° and prepare some boiling water.
In a large saucepan, combine the cream, egg yolks, sugar, and salt.
Cook, stirring frequently, over medium heat until the mixture reaches 160° or is thick enough to coat the back of a metal spoon (takes about 20 minutes).
Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla.
Transfer to 8 6oz ramekins or custard cups.
Place the cups in a baking pan; add 1" of boiling water to the pan to create a water bath.
Bake, uncovered, for 25-30 minutes or until the centers are just set (mixture will jiggle).
Remove the ramekins from the water bath and cool for 10 minutes.
Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours.
1 hour before serving, place custards on a baking sheet. Sprinkle each with 1-2 tsp of brown sugar.
Broil 8" from the heat for 4-7 minutes or until the sugar is golden. (You could use a kitchen torch too, but broiling is easier.)
Notes:
Make Ahead: These are best cooled for several hours, so this is a good recipe to make ahead of time.