Sprinkle the 1 tablespoon powdered gelatin over 2 tablespoons of cold milk in a small bowl. Let it sit for 5–10 minutes until it swells and becomes spongy.

In a saucepan, heat the remaining milk with half of the sugar over medium heat until it just begins to steam (do not boil).

In a separate bowl, whisk the 6 egg yolks with the remaining sugar until pale and slightly thickened.

Slowly ladle about a cup of the hot milk into the yolks while whisking constantly to temper them.

Pour the tempered yolk mixture back into the saucepan. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly until the custard coats the back of the spoon (about 170–175°F).

Stir the bloomed gelatin into the hot custard until completely dissolved. Add 1 teaspoon vanilla extract and mix gently.

Pour the custard through a fine-mesh sieve into a shallow bowl to remove any bits. Let it cool to room temperature, then refrigerate until it is syrupy and just beginning to set at the edges (about 30–45 minutes).

Whip the 1 cup heavy cream to soft peaks. Fold about one-third of the whipped cream into the chilled custard to loosen it, then gently fold in the remaining cream until the mixture is uniform and airy.

Gently fold in half of the 2 cups fresh berries if you prefer the berries integrated; otherwise, reserve all berries for topping or layering.

Spoon the Bavarian cream into serving glasses or a mold and chill for at least 4 hours, or until fully set.

When ready to serve, top with the reserved fresh berries. If using a molded presentation, dip the mold briefly in warm water to loosen the edges, then invert onto a plate and garnish with berries.