- 1 cup sugar
- 1/4 cup water
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 3 cups whole milk
- 1/4 cup cornstarch
- 2 large eggs
- 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
- 3 ounce fine-quality bittersweet chocolate (not unsweetened; preferably 64% cacao), finely chopped
- 3 tablespoons Tia Maria or other coffee-flavored liqueur
- 1/2 cup chilled heavy cream
- 1/2 tablespoon sugar
- Garnish: unsweetened cocoa powder
- Bring sugar and water to a boil in a 3-quart heavy saucepan over moderately high heat, stirring until sugar is dissolved. Boil, without stirring but washing down any sugar crystals on side of pan with a pastry brush dipped in cold water, until syrup begins to turn golden, about 5 minutes. Reduce heat to moderate and continue to boil, swirling pan occasionally, until syrup is a dark mahogany color (it's important to make caramel as dark as possible without burning to give sufficient flavor to pudding).
- Remove pan from heat and immediately add cream (caramel will bubble up and steam), stirring until combined. If not all caramel is dissolved, cook over moderate heat, stirring, about 1 minute more.
- Stir 2 1/2 cups milk into caramel and bring to a simmer. Whisk together remaining 1/2 cup milk and cornstarch in a glass measuring cup, then pour into simmering caramel mixture, whisking. Simmer gently, whisking occasionally, 2 minutes.
- Whisk together eggs, vanilla, and a pinch of salt in a large metal bowl. Slowly add 1 cup hot caramel, whisking until combined well, then whisk in remaining caramel.
- Reserve 1/2 cup hot pudding, then set bowl with remaining pudding in a larger bowl of ice and cold water, whisking occasionally, to cool.
- Melt chocolate in a double boiler or a metal bowl set over a pan of barely simmering water, stirring occasionally, until smooth. Stir in reserved 1/2 cup hot caramel pudding and liqueur, then divide mixture among parfait glasses.
- Divide cooled caramel pudding among glasses and chill, loosely covered, at least 2 hours.
- Beat cream with sugar using an electric mixer until it just holds stiff peaks, then spoon onto chilled puddings, spreading to cover tops.