In a saucepan, heat 2 cups of whole milk over medium heat until steaming—do not boil.

Meanwhile, whisk together 4 egg yolks, 1 cup granulated sugar, a pinch of salt, 2 teaspoons of vanilla bean paste, and 2 tablespoons of cornstarch in a bowl until pale.

Gradually combine with the warmed milk, return to heat, and continuously whisk for 8-12 minutes until thickened.

Remove from heat, stir in 2 tablespoons of unsalted butter, and let cool before refrigerating to set.

In a medium bowl, combine 2 cups of all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon of baking powder, and a pinch of salt.

In a separate large bowl, cream together 1 cup of softened unsalted butter and 1 cup of granulated sugar until light and fluffy, about 3-4 minutes.

Beat in 1 egg and 2 teaspoons of vanilla bean paste, then gradually add the dry ingredients until a soft dough forms.

Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

Scoop out tablespoon-sized portions of the dough and roll them into balls.

Roll each ball in granulated sugar and place them on the prepared sheets, gently flattening each cookie to about 1/2 inch thick, leaving space between them.

Bake the cookies in the preheated oven for 9-10 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden but the centers remain soft.

Remove the baking sheets from the oven, and let the cookies cool on the sheets for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.

Once the cookies are completely cooled, pipe a generous amount of chilled pastry cream onto the center of each cookie.

Sprinkle a thin layer of granulated sugar on top of the cream to create the brûlée topping.

Using a kitchen torch, carefully caramelize the sugar topping on each cookie until it turns golden brown and forms a hard shell, which should take about 15-30 seconds per cookie.

Be sure to keep the torch moving to avoid burning the sugar. Serve immediately for a delightful crunch with your Creme Brûlée Cookies!