Crème Brule in hollowed-out Apples

This recipe came out well the first time I made it. I used four very large Gala apples, and there was only a little custard left over. The vanilla flavor is very intense and the expense of the beans is justified for use in the custard. I did not use beans in the syrup -- only vanilla extract. It was fine, and I doubt the addition of more vanilla beans would have made any improvement.
Serves 6

To make custard: Bring cream, milk, vanilla bean and seeds just to a boil in medium saucepan over low heat. In bowl, whisk sugar and egg yolks. Slowly whisk some cream-milk mixture into yolks, then pour in remaining cream and whisk until combined. Strain through fine mesh strainer. Cool.
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
2 tablespoons milk
1 vanilla bean, cut in half lengthwise, seeds scraped and reserved
6 tablespoons sugar
6 egg yolks


To prepare apples: Heat oven to 300 degrees. In saucepan over medium heat, bring 4 cups water, 1 cup sugar, 1 cinnamon stick, 1 star anise and 1 scraped vanilla bean and seeds to simmer. Cook this syrup 5 minutes. Cut off and reserve the top third of each apple (making little "caps"). Cut thin slice off bottom of each apple - just enough so that there's a flat surface and apples are level. Using a melon baller, evenly hollow out each apple, leaving a half-inch wall around and going almost to the bottom without making any holes.
Place apples and tops in 3-inch-deep baking pan. Put 1 tablespoon syrup into each apple and pour remaining syrup around apples. Cover pan with foil and bake until tender, 15 to 20 minutes.
Remove foil. Remove apple tops from baking pan. Pour out liquid inside each apple. Pour custard into apples, filling to brim. Bake until custard is set, 45 minutes to 1 hour. Remove apples from poaching liquid and cool. Refrigerate until cold.

To assemble, sprinkle 1 teaspoon superfine sugar on top of each apple. Use a blowtorch to caramelize the sugar and watch carefully so as not to burn sugar to the point of being black. Place apples on dessert plates and serve immediately with the apple top leaning against the apple.