The Chef
ANNE ROSENZWEIG of Inside

Servings
Serves eight.

Ingredients

Lemon curd:
1 cup fresh lemon juice
4 whole eggs
5 egg yolks (reserve 4 whites)
7/8 cup sugar
Grated zest of 3 lemons
Pinch salt

Pavlovas:
4 egg whites
Pinch salt
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup ground almonds
1 teaspoon white vinegar
1 pound fresh strawberries, hulled and sliced

Cooking Instructions

Lemon curd: Whisk all the ingredients together in a metal bowl. Set the bowl over a pot of simmering water. Continue whisking until the mixture becomes thick and puddinglike. Chill over ice, whisking often. When it cools, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate. (May be made up to 2 days ahead.)

Pavlovas: Preheat the oven to 250 degrees. Beat egg whites with a pinch of salt until soft peaks form. Gradually beat in the sugars, and continue beating until the mixture is thick and stiff. Carefully fold in the ground almonds and vinegar, using a rubber spatula.

Line a baking sheet with parchment. Place 8 dollops of the meringue onto the sheet and, using a spoon, form them into ovals that are slightly depressed in the center (like a soap dish). Bake for 35 minutes, then turn off the oven and let the Pavlovas cool and crisp in the oven for about 11/2 hours or overnight. (May be done in advance; store in an airtight container.)

To serve: Place a Pavlova on each plate, fill with lemon curd, and top with sliced strawberries.