Fall is Made for Breakfast in Bed

Fall weekends in the mountains are meant for breakfast in bed--especially Sunday mornings when my city-dwelling boyfriend makes the 3,000 foot elevation change from Denver to Overland mountain. Outside, aspens have been laid bare and the pine forest gathers early morning frost. We’re both early risers, so Greg makes rich, strong French Press coffee while I start a fire in the woodstove in the smoky morning light. Then we climb back into bed with steaming mugs of coffee and the Sunday New York Times. 

It’s a ritual we both love.

After a few hours, Greg will suggest, hopeful as a kid on Christmas, “How about the big pancake?” Made with fresh berries and stone fruit, a baked pancake is easy, elegant, and, you can eat it in bed!  Plus, it comes out of the oven puffed and golden and glorious, and feels like a celebration all its own. The pancake is slightly crispy on the top and warm and custardy underneath: I guarantee you'll find other reasons to stay in bed.

Ingredients

2 tbsp unsalted butter, melted in a 10” fry pan (either nonstick or coated with non-stick spray)

Mix well in a blender:

1 ¼ c milk

¾ c flour

3 eggs

1/3 c sugar

zest of half a lemon

¼ tsp salt

1 tsp vanilla extract

Powdered sugar to finish

Preheat the oven to 400.  Pour the pancake “milkshake” into the frying pan with the melted butter. Dot with any combination of blackberries, blueberries, raspberries, and sliced strawberries, peaches and/or apricots. If the stone fruit isn’t ripe, sauté it in the butter for a few minutes. Bake for 20 minutes until the pancake begins to puff. Turn the oven down to 325 and bake until fully set (about 10-15 more minutes). 

Sprinkle with powdered sugar 

and serve with bacon 

or maple sausage, 

if you like. 

Makes 3-4 servings.

Happy Eating!