1    Egg whites; large

      1 pn Cream of tartar

    2/3 c  Sugar

    1/2 lb Mascarpone cheese

      2 tb Dark rum

      2 oz Bittersweet chocolate; fine

           -quality/chopped fine
      1 c  Butter cookies; crumbs or

           -pound cake crumbs
      1 c  Coffee; brewed/lukewarm

----------------------------------GARNISH----------------------------------
      2 oz Bittersweet chocolate; chop

           -fine
  Put the eggwhites in a bowl of an electric mixer and put the bowl in a
  second bowl of hot water and let the whites stand, stirring occasionally,
  for 15 minutes.
  Add the cream of tartar and salt and bet the whites until they just hold
  stiff peaks. While the whites are being beaten, in a saucepan combine the
  sugar and 1/4 cup of water.  Bring the mixture to a boil, stirring to
  dissolve the sugar, and boil the syrup until it registers 240 deg. on a
  candy thermometer.  Add the sugar syrup to the whites in a stream,
  slowly,while beating and beat the mixture until it is cool.  Add the
  mascarpone, rum and chocolate and beat until well combined.  Divide the
  cookie or cake crumbs among 4 stemmed glasses.  Drizzle each portion with 2
  tablespoons of the coffee and top the crumbs with half the mascarpone
  mixture.  Layer the remaining cookie crumbs, coffee and mascarpone mixture
  in the same manner.  Chill the parfaits, covered for a minimum of 2 hours,
  or overnight.
  Garnish:  In a metal bowl, set over a pan of barely simmering water, melt
  the chocolate.  Line a baking sheet with foil and spread the chocolate
  about 1/8" thick on the foil.  Chill the chocolate triangles on the baking
  sheet until it is just set, but not hard, and with a pastry wheel, cut it
  into triangles.  Chill the chocolate triangles on the baking sheet until
  they have hardened and peel the foil carefully from them. Garnish each
  parfait with a chocolate triangle.