Whisk pudding with whipping cream and milk for 2 minutes or until smooth. Stir in vanilla bean paste. Let sit for 5 minutes.

Spread pudding into the bottom of prepared pie crust. Chill for at least 4 hours before serving.

Note on brulee: it’s best to brûlée slices instead of the entire pie. It’s harder to slice once it has the brûlée on top and it must be eaten immediately. Unless you plan to serve the entire pie immediately, slice, then continue.

Sprinkle each slice with sugar and use a kitchen torch to brûlée the top.

Alternate brûlée no-torch no-oven method: Add 1/4 cup granulated sugar to a small saucepan. Place over low heat and do not touch it, but watch it closely. Once it starts to turn to liquid, stir with a wooden spoon, being careful not to get it on the sides of the pan, until the sugar turns to crystals then to liquid again, and turns a light amber color. Drizzle some onto each slice of pie. Note: this sugar hardens more than it does with the torch. Err on the light side of adding it to the top and be cautious eating it.