Vanilla Bean Crème Brûlée Cheesecake Cupcakes

1 sleeve graham crackers (9 full crackers) – I usually grab the honey graham variety
1/4 cup granulated sugar
6 tablespoons butter, melted – real butter makes a difference here
A food processor makes this part a breeze, but you can also use a zip-top bag and rolling pin
16 ounces cream cheese, softened – leave it out for at least 2 hours
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract – spring for the pure stuff if you can
1/2 cup sour cream
1 large whole egg
2 egg yolks – these are what give it that custard-like texture
About 12 teaspoons granulated sugar (1 teaspoon per cupcake)
A kitchen torch (or your oven’s broiler as a backup plan)

Start by preheating your oven to 275°F. Line a standard 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners. The low temperature might seem strange, but it’s crucial for achieving that perfect texture.
For the crust, pulverize those graham crackers in your food processor until they’re fine crumbs. Mix them with the sugar, then stir in the melted butter until it resembles wet sand. Sometimes I add a tiny pinch of salt here – it really brings out the flavors.
Divide the graham mixture among your lined cups. Press it down firmly using the back of a spoon. The more compact, the better – nobody wants a crumbly crust falling apart on them.
Now for the filling: beat the softened cream cheese and sugar until smooth. This usually takes about 2 minutes. If you see any little cream cheese lumps, keep going – they’ll smooth out.
Add the vanilla, sour cream, whole egg, and those precious egg yolks. Mix until just combined. The custard-like texture from the extra yolks is what sets these apart from regular cheesecake.
Fill each cup nearly to the rim. Take a moment to smooth the tops with the back of a spoon. This creates the perfect canvas for our brûlée topping later.
Bake for about 25 minutes. The centers should still have a slight jiggle – they’ll set up as they cool. Let them hang out in the pan for an hour before moving them to the fridge.