The recommendation from professionals is that you make this recipe the day before you need them.  I rarely know the day before, what I want to make the next day, so I found myself making this recipe just six hours before I wanted them.  Not to worry.  They turned out just fine and actually were delicious, 5 days later.

I did not create this recipe for meringues.  It is quite standard and I found it in The BEST of THE BEST cookbook, by the Best of Bridge gals.

This is called pavlova and can be made as one large dessert to be sliced and served, or it can be made into individual desserts.  Meringues can be messy and the small version keeps things a bit neater.

preheat oven to 275

line one cookie sheet with parchment paper.  (Once a long time ago I tried this recipe and baked it on waxed paper.  Not a good idea.  This does NOT work.  Egg whites stick to waxed paper)

4 egg whites

1 cup sugar

1 tsp. vanilla

1 tsp. lemon juice

Beat egg whites until stiff but not dry.  Slowly, while mixed is running, add 1 cup sugar, then add vanilla and lemon juice.  Continue mixing until stiff peaks are dry.

with spoon, make small nests on cookie sheet.  Approximately 3 inches.  Make just a small dip in the top.

These nests can be almost touching each other on the pan.  They will expand very slightly.

As you can see, they do not need to be perfect.

Place pan in oven and bake for 1 hour.  turn oven off and leave in oven for 4 hours or overnight.

remove from oven and put dessert together.

1 TBLSP. lemon curd

as many berries as you wish.  Fresh, frozen, mixed or just one kind.

top with a dollop of whipped cream if you wish (I always wish)