Add the raspberries and sugar to a small saucepan over medium heat. Stir frequently with a silicone spatula until the sugar has dissolved and the raspberries have broken down completely, about 10 minutes.

Let cool to room temperature.

Preheat your oven to 325°F.

Place a large, heatproof bowl on the counter with a wet towel underneath to hold it in place. Whisk ¼ cup of sugar with the egg yolks until thoroughly combined.

Add the heavy cream to a small sauce pan and heat over medium-low.

Slice the vanilla bean pod in half, lengthwise, and use the back of your knife to scrape out the beans. Add the whole pod, the vanilla beans, and the orange zest to the pot of heavy cream, whisking everything together.

Once the cream comes to a gentle simmer, add one ladle of cream to the egg and sugar mixture, whisking immediately to incorporate and temper the eggs. 

Carefully pour the remaining cream into the bowl of eggs and sugar, whisking constantly, until all of the cream has been incorporated.

Use a mesh colander or sieve to strain the custard into a pitcher or large liquid measuring cup.

Place a kettle of water on the stovetop and bring to a boil.

Arrange 6 4oz. ramekins into a large casserole dish. Add 1.5 tablespoons of the raspberry coulis to the bottom of each ramekin, using the back of your spoon to spread it across the bottom.

Pour the custard over the top of the raspberry coulis, until each one is about ¾-5/8 of the way full. You may have some custard leftover depending on the size of your ramekins

Place the casserole dish into the oven and carefully pour the boiling water into the bottom of the casserole dish, filling it up halfway with water.

Bake for 27-30 minutes, checking with a pair of tongs to see if the custard is set. It should have soft, uniform jiggle. 

Use the tongs to transfer the ramekins to a cooling dish and cool at room temperature for 30 minutes.

Place the ramekins in the refrigerator to cool completely, at least 3 hours but up to 24.

Once your custards are cooled and set in the fridge, top each with 1 tablespoon of granulated sugar, evenly covering the top.

Use a kitchen torch to scorch the top of each ramekin until the sugar browns and bubbles. Once the desired color and crispness is reached, move onto the next one.

Serve right away and enjoy!