In a medium saucepan, combine heavy cream, milk, and half the sugar. Warm gently over medium heat until steam rises—do not boil.

Meanwhile, whisk egg yolks and remaining sugar in a heatproof bowl until pale and slightly thickened.

Slowly ladle about ½ cup of the warm cream mixture into the yolks while whisking constantly (this is called tempering).

Pour the tempered yolks back into the saucepan with the remaining cream, stirring continuously.

Cook over low heat, stirring with a heatproof spatula, until the custard thickens and coats the back of a spoon (about 170°F or 77°C).

Remove from heat, stir in vanilla extract and a pinch of salt. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean bowl.

Place the bowl over an ice bath, stirring occasionally until cool. Transfer to the fridge to chill for at least 30 minutes before serving.