In a medium saucepan, heat 2 cups of whole milk over medium heat until steaming but not boiling.

In a separate bowl, whisk together 6 egg yolks, ½ cup granulated sugar, a pinch of salt, 1 tablespoon of vanilla bean paste, and 2 tablespoons of cornstarch until smooth.

Gradually whisk in the hot milk, then return the mixture to the saucepan and cook over medium-low heat for 8-12 minutes, whisking constantly until it thickens.

Remove from heat, mix in 2 tablespoons of unsalted butter, and chill in the refrigerator.

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together 2 cups of all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon of baking powder, and a pinch of salt.

In another bowl, cream together ½ cup of unsalted butter and 1 cup of granulated sugar until light and fluffy.

Add 1 egg and 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract to the butter mixture, mixing until pale and well combined.

Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture and mix until just combined.

Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C).

Scoop tablespoon-sized portions of the cookie dough, roll them into balls, and roll in granulated sugar.

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, place the cookie dough balls on the sheet, and gently flatten each cookie.

Bake in the preheated oven for 9-10 minutes or until edges are lightly golden.

Allow to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes and then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Once cooled, pipe a generous dollop of chilled pastry cream on each cookie.

Sprinkle a thin layer of granulated sugar over the pastry cream and brûlée it with a kitchen torch.

Allow the cookies to rest briefly to set before serving.