Christmas Day Parfaits

Ingredients

 * 3 cups raspberries
 * 1 bunch fresh mint
 * 3 tbsp (to 4) sugar (or to taste)
 * 2 tbsp water
 * 1¼ cup heavy cream
 * 5 peppermint tea bags
 * 10 oz high-quality semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
 * 1½ pint vanilla ice cream

Directions

 * 1) Set aside about 18 raspberries and 6 sprigs of fresh mint for garnish.
 * 2) Combine the sugar and water in a pot and add the remaining raspberries.
 * 3) Stir gently to coat the berries with the liquid.
 * 4) Cover the pot and, over medium heat, cook the berries just till they soften, but do not lose their shape, stirring occasionally, 3 to 4 minutes.
 * 5) Remove from heat.
 * 6) Take the remaining fresh mint leaves off their stems and chop coarsely.
 * 7) In a medium pot, over medium-high heat, scald the cream.
 * 8) Remove from heat and add the tea bags along with the fresh mint leaves.
 * 9) Let steep until the cream is completely cool.
 * 10) Squeeze the tea bags out into the cream, strain it, and return the cream to the pot.
 * 11) Put the pot back om the heat and scald it again.
 * 12) Remove from heat and stir in the chopped chocolate until it is completely melted.
 * 13) This sauce can be made in advance and then heated up at the last minute.
 * 14) Line up 6 parfait or pilsner glasses and put a tablespoon of the raspberry sauce in the bottom of each.
 * 15) Layer the ice cream, chocolate mint sauce, and raspberry sauce twice, ending with the raspberry sauce on top.
 * 16) Add a few uncooked raspberries and garnish with the fresh mint sprigs.