Fill one pot with an inch of water and heat on medium. Once the water is boiling, place another pot over this pot and place the lemon juice and zest in the top pot.
Separate the eggs. Place the egg whites in a mixing bowl and the yolks in with the lemon juice.
Add 1 cup of sugar to the lemon and yolk. Mix the pot constantly, until the mixture thickens. You will know the curd is finished once it coats the back of a spoon and a clear line remains when you run your finger on the back of the spoon. Strain through a fine mesh strainer and set aside to cool.
Whip the eggs until soft peaks form. Blend the remaining sugar until it is a powder consistency and mix in the vanilla bean if you are using it (if you are using extract, add it now to the egg whites) and the cornstarch. Slowly add the sugar to the egg whites until fully incorporated and the whites form stiff, glossy peaks.
Place large dollops of the meringue on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Form the meringue into stout discs with a small well in the middle to hold the curd. Bake for an hour. Take out of the oven and allow to cool.
Finely dice the strawberry and mix into the whipped cream. Add about ½ cup of the lemon curd to the whipped cream. Top the cooled meringues with the lemon curd and optionally top with the sliced lemons.
Tried this recipe?Tag me on Instagram! @acookienameddesire #acookienameddesire