Combine cream with half the sugar in a medium saucepan. Bring to a strong simmer, but don’t boil.

Whisk egg yolks in a bowl (I used my electric mixer with whisk attachment) with the other half of the sugar. Add vanilla extract. (If using a vanilla bean instead, split the pot lengthwise then scrape the caviar into the cream/sugar mixture.)

Whisk the egg yolk mixture on medium for a minute. Now, with the mixer on medium-low, very slowly drizzle in the warm cream. I use a metal measuring cup to scoop out small portions at a time. Make sure to continue mixing as you pour the hot mixture continuously. I kind of drizzle it in so that the cream runs down the side of the bowl, which reduces the impact of the hot cream hitting the eggs.

After all of the cream is added, turn off mixer. Pour mixture into the top of a double boiler (or a glass bowl fitted over a saucepan of simmering water). Cook in the double boiler over medium heat. Stir gently but constantly as the egg/cream mixture slowly thickens.

Watch the mixture: if it starts to really thicken up, remove it immediately from the heat. You want this to be more of a thick, pourable cream than a thick, heavy pudding texture. As soon as you remove the pan from the heat, set the bottom of it in a bowl of ice to stop the cooking process (but be careful not to let ice or water drip over the edge of the pan.) Stir to cool. If you need to use the cream right away, keep it in the ice bath and stir to cool.

Ideally, you’ll transfer the cream to a container and refrigerate it for several hours.

Spoon generously (!) over fresh berries. You’ll love it!