1. Scald the milk with the coffee — scalding means heating the liquid to just below a simmer, approximately 180°F (82°C), until small bubbles form at the edges of the pan and steam rises steadily. Stir in half the sugar (1/2 cup / 100 g) and remove from heat. Do not strain at this stage.
2. Make a custard: in a heavy medium saucepan (2-quart / 2-litre), whisk together the egg yolks, salt, and remaining sugar (1/2 cup / 100 g) until pale and slightly thickened, about 1-2 minutes. Gradually pour the hot coffee-milk mixture into the yolk mixture in a thin stream while whisking constantly — this is tempering, the process of slowly raising the eggs' temperature to prevent scrambling.
3. Return the tempered mixture to medium-low heat and cook, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon or heatproof spatula, until the custard thickens enough to coat the back of the spoon and a finger drawn across the spoon leaves a clean line, 5-8 minutes. The custard should register 170-175°F (77-79°C) on an instant-read thermometer.
4. Remove from heat. Stir in 1 cup (240 ml) of the light cream. Let the mixture stand 30 minutes at room temperature, then cool completely in the refrigerator until the custard reaches 40°F (4°C) or below, approximately 2-3 hours.
5. Strain the chilled custard through a double layer of cheesecloth (fine-mesh strainer) into a large bowl, pressing gently. Stir in the remaining 2 cups (480 ml) of light cream.
6. Freeze the mixture in an ice cream maker according to the manufacturer's instructions until it reaches a soft, overrun consistency — the mixture will appear pale, hold its shape briefly when dropped from a spoon, and increase slightly in volume, approximately 20-30 minutes of churning.
7. Line a 1-quart (950 ml / roughly 6 x 4-inch / 15 x 10 cm) parfait mould or loaf pan with the partially frozen cream mixture, leaving a hollow centre. Fill the hollow with prepared Italian Meringue (see cross-reference note). Cover the mould tightly.
8. Pack the covered mould in a mixture of rock salt and ice (ratio approximately 1 part salt to 4 parts ice by volume). Let stand undisturbed for 3 hours to fully set. The finished parfait should be firm throughout and hold clean slices when unmoulded onto a chilled plate.
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