1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees and adjust a rack to the center.
2. Add the cranberries to a small sauce pan. Use a paring knife to slive the vanilla pod in half, lengthwise.
3. Use the back of the knife to scrape the vanilla beans, from both halves, into the saucepan with the cranberries. Add 2 tablespoons of the sugar and the amaretto and stir. (Set emptied vanilla pod aside, you will need it later.)
4. Place the saucepan over low-medium heat and cook for about 5 minutes. Turn off the heath and use a slotted spoon to remove 12 of the cranberries. Place them in a small bowl and set them aside for garnish. Cover the pan and let it sit for 15 minutes.
5. Meanwhile, add the cream, the emptied vanilla pod, and 6 more tablespoons of the suagr to another small saucepan. Place it over low heat and bring to a simmer. Stir to dissolve the sugar and then turn off the heat. Set aside.
6. Now use a wooden spoon to crush the cranberries. Turn the heat to medium and simmer until the Amaretto has cooked off and is absorbed into the cranberries, about 4 minutes. Set aside to cool to room temperature.
7. In a medium sized mixing bowl, whisk the egg yolks until they are well blended. Remove the vanilla pod from the creama nd then in a slow stream, whisk it into the yolks, just until evenly combined. Now with a spoon, mix in the cooled cranberries.
8. Divide the mixture evenly among 4 (6oz), shallow ramekins and place them on a rimmed sheet pan. Pour enough hot water in the pan to go about halfway up the sides of ramekins. Place the pan in the oven and bake just until they are set in the center when pan is gently shaken, about 30 minutes.
9. Remove ramekins from the pan and let them cool to room temperature. Then cover each one with plastic wrap (be careful it doesn’t directly touch the custard), and chill in refrigerator for at least 3 1/2 hours and up to 2 days.
10. About 10 minutes before serving, sprinkle remaining tablespoons of sugar evenly among the 4 ramekins. Use a kitchen torch to caramelize the sugar, one at a time – quickly moving the flame around until the sugar is crisp and golden. Place 3 of the reserved cranberries on each one, sprinkling them with a bit of sugar, if desired.