Pour the milk into a saucepan that's been rinsed with a little water beforehand, so it doesn't stick to the bottom.

Split the vanilla bean lengthwise and add it to the milk; if using vanilla extract instead, you'll stir it in later.

Warm the milk over low heat without letting it come to a boil, then set it aside while you prepare the eggs

Separate the egg whites from the yolks, making sure the whites are completely clean, with no traces of yolk.

Put the egg whites in a bowl, add the pinch of salt, and start beating them until foamy.

Gradually add about a third of the sugar to the egg whites (roughly 50 g / ¼ cup), beating until you get a firm, glossy meringue.

Once the milk is well heated, use a spoon to scoop portions of the meringue into the saucepan, leaving space between them.

Poach each meringue "cloud" for about 2–3 minutes per side, then lift them out with a slotted spoon onto a plate; repeat until all the meringue is used.

In a separate bowl, beat the egg yolks with the remaining sugar until the mixture turns pale and slightly airy.

Add a pinch of salt to the yolk mixture to bring out the sweetness and the vanilla flavor.

Gradually pour the warm milk (with the meringue clouds removed) over the yolks, stirring constantly so they don't curdle.

Pour the mixture back into the saucepan and cook over low heat, stirring constantly, without letting the custard boil.

Check the texture by running a spoon through the custard: if it leaves a thin coating on the back of the spoon, it's ready.

Strain the custard through a fine sieve, let it cool, then pour it into bowls or a large serving dish and place the meringue clouds on top, so they float on the surface.