Preheat the oven to 250F and line a large baking sheet with foil or parchment.

In a small bowl or measuring cup, stir together the sugar, cornstarch and cream of tartar. In a large glass or stainless steel bowl, beat the egg whites with an electric mixer until very foamy; gradually add the sugar, beating until the mixture holds stiff, glossy peaks, and has the consistency of shaving cream. Beat in the vanilla.

Scrape the mixture onto the baking sheet and shape it into a 9-inch nest with the back of a spoon; for smaller pavlovas, drop heaping spoonfuls of meringue onto the sheet, then dip in the tip of a teaspoon and turn to make indents in the middle. Bake for 1 hour (no matter the size), until just barely golden, set and dry.

Meanwhile, make the lemon curd: in a small-medium saucepan, whisk together the egg yolks, sugar, lemon zest and juice. Set over medium-high heat and whisk until bubbling and thickened. Remove from the heat and add the butter. Set aside for a few minutes, then whisk until smooth. Pour into a bowl through a sieve, cover and refrigerate until well chilled.

To serve, will the meringue with lemon curd, then top with the whipped cream and berries or berry compote. Serves 6.