1. Halve the vanilla bean lengthwise and scrape out the seeds with a paring knife. Position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 325.
2. Bring the cream, half-and-half and vanilla seeds and pod to a simmer in a saucepan over medium heat. Reduce the heat to low and simmer to infuse the cream with the vanilla, 10-15 minutes. Discard the vanilla pod. Remove the cream mixture from the heat and cool slightly. Meanwhile bring a kettle of water to a boil.
3. Whisk the egg yolks, 1/2 C. sugar and salt i a large bowl until the sugar mixture dissolves and the mixture is pale yellow and thick; it should leave a trail when you lift the whisk. Pour in the cream mixture in a slow, steady stream, whisking constantly. Skim off any foam or bubbles from the surface.
4. Arrange eight 6-oz ramekins in a roasting pand and divide the custard evenly among them. Pull out the oven rack slightly, place the roasting pan on it and pour enough boiling water into the pan to come halfway up the sides of the ramekins. Bake until the custards are just set in the center, about 40-45 minutes. Carefully remove the ramekins from the water bath and transfer to the refrigerator. Chill, uncovered, at least 2 hours or up to 1 day.
5. About 30 minutes before serving, sprinkle 1 t. sugar over each custard. Tilt the ramekins to evenly distribute the sugar and tap out any excess. Holding a kitchen torch about 3 inches away, burn the sugar until it turns a deep amber. Refrigerate the creme brulees just until the crust hardens, 30 minutes to 1 hour, but not longer or the topping may start to soften. Serve cold.