Making the Vanilla Pastry Cream

1. Heat the Milk: In a medium saucepan, heat the whole milk over medium-low heat. Stir occasionally to ensure that the milk doesn’t scorch or form a skin on top. You only need to heat it until it starts steaming, not boiling. Once it reaches the right temperature, turn the heat to low and keep it warm while you prepare the egg mixture.
2. Whisk the Egg Mixture: In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, sugar, salt, and cornstarch. The mixture will be thick at first, but continue whisking vigorously until smooth and light yellow in color. This is an important step, as it ensures the sugar and cornstarch are fully incorporated into the yolks and that the mixture doesn’t form clumps.
3. Combine with Milk: Slowly add 1/4 of the hot milk to the egg mixture, stirring constantly to prevent the eggs from cooking too quickly. Once the first portion of milk is mixed in, add the rest of the milk while continuing to whisk. This process is called tempering, which helps to gradually raise the temperature of the eggs without scrambling them.
4. Cook the Pastry Cream: Pour the milk and egg mixture back into the saucepan and heat over medium-low heat, whisking constantly. The mixture will begin to thicken as it cooks. Keep stirring to prevent any lumps from forming. After about 8-12 minutes, the custard should reach the consistency of thick pudding and should start to form soft peaks when you whisk it. Once it has thickened, remove the saucepan from the heat.
5. Add Butter: Stir in the cubes of unsalted butter until they melt completely into the pastry cream. This adds richness and helps to smooth out the texture. To prevent a skin from forming on top, place a piece of plastic wrap directly on the surface of the cream. Allow the pastry cream to cool at room temperature before transferring it to the refrigerator to chill for at least two hours. You can prepare the pastry cream the night before to save time.

Making the Sugar Cookies

1. Preheat the Oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats to prevent the cookies from sticking and to ensure even baking.
2. Mix the Dry Ingredients: In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt. Set this mixture aside while you prepare the wet ingredients.
3. Cream the Butter and Sugar: In a large mixing bowl, cream the softened butter and granulated sugar together using an electric mixer or stand mixer. Mix on high speed for about 2 minutes until the mixture is light and fluffy. This process incorporates air into the dough, making your cookies soft and tender.
4. Add the Egg and Vanilla: Add the egg and vanilla bean paste (or vanilla extract) to the butter and sugar mixture. Mix on medium speed for 1-2 minutes, or until the mixture is pale and fluffy.
5. Combine with Dry Ingredients: Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing on low speed until just combined. Be careful not to overmix the dough, as this can lead to tough cookies.
6. Shape the Dough: Scoop the dough using a large cookie scoop (about 1 1/2 tablespoons) and roll each ball into a smooth ball. Then, roll each dough ball in the granulated sugar for a sugary exterior. Place the sugar-coated dough balls onto the prepared cookie sheets, spacing them about 2 inches apart. Flatten each ball slightly with your fingers or the bottom of a glass.
7. Bake the Cookies: Bake the cookies in the preheated oven for 9-10 minutes, or until the edges are golden brown. The center will still be soft, but it will firm up as the cookies cool. Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.

Assembling the Cookies

1. Pipe Pastry Cream onto Cookies: Once the cookies have cooled completely, it’s time to assemble the Creme Brûlée Cookies. Transfer the chilled vanilla pastry cream to a piping bag fitted with a small circular tip. Pipe a generous amount of pastry cream onto the center of each cookie, being careful not to overflow the edges.
2. Brûlée the Sugar: Sprinkle about 1 teaspoon of granulated sugar over the pastry cream. Using a kitchen torch, carefully brûlée the sugar. Hold the torch about 2 inches from the sugar and move it in a slow, circular motion to evenly caramelize the sugar. You’ll know it’s ready when the sugar turns golden brown and begins to bubble.
3. Cool and Serve: Allow the cookies to cool for 10 minutes after torching to let the sugar harden. Then, serve and enjoy! These cookies are best enjoyed fresh, as the pastry cream can make the cookies soggy if left for too long.