Ten Layer Trifle
In honor of Maeby’s big 1-0, I decided to make her what I believe to be her dream treat - a ten layer “trifle” made of her ten favorite foods. I’m sure most of my generation is all too familiar with the disaster trifle that Rachel Green makes in Friends when she combines recipes for a traditional English trifle and a Shepherd’s pie. Unintentional, this has become a personalized version of exactly that. However, I wanted to stay true to a traditional trifle construction as much as possible.
Usually a trifle is layered with cake, jam, fruit, custard, and whipped cream, and that is exactly what I made (with a few savory layers squeezed in between the fruit). As long as you confirm any/all foods your dog loves are safe, this is a really fun personalized treat for any pup!
Here are Maeby’s Favorites:
Layer 1 - Carrot Cake (LOVES carrots & this cake)
Layer 2 - Raspberry Preserves & Raspberries
Layer 3 - Hard Boiled Eggs
Layer 4 - Bacon
Layer 5 - Chicken
Layer 6 - Cheese
Layer 7 - Broccoli
Layer 8 - Banana
Layer 9 - Peanut Butter Yogurt “Custard”
Layer 10 - Whipped Cream
Because this was a one-off recipe and because I used a 3 inch mini trifle dish (from Sur La Table), I ended up preparing all the layers separately. This way I had flexibility in my design and construction.
Because Maeby is so small (about 22 lbs), I let her lick some whipped cream of the top, but then served her a “slice” of the trifle on a plate (about 1/4 of the dish). Once she realized that there was chicken and bacon in the middle, she hovered those up first and then worked her way through the other layers.
FOR DOGS ONLY
1/2 batch of dog-friendly Carrot Cake (made in a mini bread loaf tin or 3” cake pan)
8 muddled raspberries
2 whole raspberries
1 hard boiled egg
1/4 cup boiled shredded chicken
2 strips of bacon, chopped coarsely
1⁄4 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1-2 broccoli florets
1/4-1/2 cup plain yogurt
1-2 tablespoons all natural peanut butter
Whipped cream
Directions
Cut and fit a 1/4 inch thick layer of dog friendly carrot cake into the bottom of your trifle dish.
Layer the muddled raspberries, whole raspberries (sliced in half), hard boiled egg (sliced how you like), shredded chicken, bacon, cheddar cheese, and broccoli. Feel free to get creative with how each layer is prepared/presented. For example, I chose to slice the hardboiled egg into half moon shapes. I highly recommend marking the outside of the dish with a dry erase marker before you begin so you have an idea of how full the dish should be after each layer. It’s easy to overfill it and run out of space, so I came up with creative ways to overlap layers while still showcasing each ingredient.
To make the peanut butter yogurt “custard”, simple mix the all natural peanut butter into the yogurt until evenly combined. Add this to the top of your trifle. The amount used may vary depending on how much space is left in the trifle dish. I recommend the yogurt layer fill the dish all the way to the top.
Finally, top off your trifle with some whipped cream!