Lemon blueberry pavlova with soft lemon curd and blueberry sauce

Cut up the butter and set aside. Separate four large eggs, yolks in one bowl and whites in another; cover the whites and leave at room temperature.

To the yolks add the zest of at least two lemons, a small pinch of salt, a larger pinch of sugar and the lemon juice; whisk thoroughly.

Set the bowl over barely simmering water on low heat, an inch or two of water not touching the bowl; stir with a spatula almost constantly about 10 minutes until very hot to the touch and thick enough to coat a spoon.

Stir in the butter chunks three or four at a time, each addition almost melted before the next.

Remove from the heat and pour into a bowl to cool; strain if lumpy (optional).

Press plastic onto the surface so no skin forms and chill completely in the fridge.

Lightly oil a silicone baking mat on a sheet pan.

Stir the cornstarch into the white sugar and set aside.

To the room temperature whites add an optional pinch of cream of tartar, a little lemon juice and a touch of vanilla.

Whip by hand to very soft peaks, then whisk in the sugar mixture a couple of tablespoons at a time, about a minute each, until it is all in.

Whisk to relatively stiff peaks that hold sharp lines, not super stiff, since over-whipped meringue goes dry and grainy.

Spoon big dollops in a ring about 8 or 9 inches across; fill the middle with at least an inch of meringue touching all the dollops; add a second layer of dollops around the edge and swirl the peaks.

Bake in the center of a 250 degree oven for exactly one hour.

Turn off the oven, crack the door and let the meringue cool completely inside so it dries to a crisp shell.

Blueberry sauce: blueberries, a couple spoons of sugar and a splash of cold water brought to a simmer on medium, stirring occasionally about 10 minutes until the berries collapse and the liquid thickens.

Pass through a fine mesh strainer, stirring and pressing with a spoon; chill in the fridge.

Loosen the meringue from the mat all round with a spatula and transfer to a plate with two spatulas.

Crack the center with a spoon to make a well; fill with the cooled lemon curd.

Top with fresh blueberries, drizzle with the chilled blueberry sauce, and finish with a sprig of mint.