MERINGUES

1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees.  Place oven racks in the upper and lower third of the oven.
2. Prepare 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper.  Using a 3-inch** cookie or biscuit cutter and a sharp pencil, trace 6 circles on each piece of parchment paper, spacing them apart.  Flip the parchment paper over onto the cookie sheets with the pencil side down.  Set aside.
3. Add the egg whites and salt to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, or use a hand mixer.  Beat on medium-high speed until the egg whites are no longer foamy but starting to form very soft peaks.  With the mixer running, slowly add the sugar, 1 tablespoon every few seconds.  Turn the mixer to high and beat until you see stiff glossy peaks form.  Note:  Do not overbeat.  As soon as the peaks are stiff stop beating.  If the peaks become stiff and dry-looking instead of shiny, you’ve overbeaten them.  Sprinkle in the cornstarch, vinegar, and vanilla, and gently fold in with a spatula.
4. Using 2 spoons, scoop a mound of meringue in the center of each circle.  I use one of the spoons to kind of swoop it up a little, like the meringue on a pie, but you don’t have to.  Transfer the cookie sheets to the preheated oven.  Immediately reduce heat to 200 degrees.  Bake for approximately 1 to 1 1/4 hours, until the meringues are firm and dry to the touch, but not brown.  Turn off the oven, leaving the door shut, and allow meringues to stay in the oven until cooled, about 1 1/2 hours.  Note:  I fix these in the evening and leave them in the turned-off oven and go to bed.

LEMON CURD

1. Turn each meringue upside down.  Use a sharp knife and cut out a small hole on the bottom of each meringue.
2. Transfer the lemon curd to a small piping bag with any small tip.  If you don’t have piping bags, simply snip off a tiny corner of a ziplock bag and fill it with the curd.  Squeeze about 1 tablespoon of the lemon curd into the hole of each meringue.
3. Place each meringue on individual dessert plates.

TOPPING

1. Prepare the whipped cream:  Add the whipping cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla to the mixing bowl of a stand mixer or use a hand mixer.  If using a stand mixer, I place an old towel over the mixer, to keep the whipping cream from splattering everywhere.  Beat the whipping cream on high for about 2 minutes until medium-soft peaks form.  You don’t want it runny, but you don’t need really stiff peaks either.
2. Place a large dollop of whipping cream on the top of each meringue.  Top with a generous amount of blueberries, and a sprinkle of lemon zest, optional.
3. Serve immediately.  Do not refrigerate leftovers.