Carve a Watermelon Into a Heart Basket



Imagine a romantic dinner for two, candles on the table and a heart basket filled with specially selected fruits to celebrate Valentine's Day. Dim the lights and enjoy the day set aside for love and romance.

Steps

  1. Choose a watermelon that's a shape and size fitting for the table.
  2. Cut a thin slice from the bottom to provide a stable base.
  3. Draw the outlines for the heart basket with a fine/medium point waterproof marker or a sharp pencil before you cut.
    • Use the image above as a guide.
    • Halve the watermelon lengthwise with a straight, jagged, or wavy line.
    • Leave a thick handle to "hold" the basket up from the center.

  4. Use a knife or decorating tool to cut out the edges. Be careful not to cut through the handle.
  5. Carefully remove the top quarter sections when the cutting is complete. Save the cut-out pieces for later. Trim the flesh from the inside of the handle.
  6. Cut out hearts or other designs from the rind you removed to decorate the outside of the basket and attach them with toothpicks.
  7. Fill with approx. 8-12 cups of fruit salad.
  8. Finished.



Tips

  • For better grip and to help protect your hands, use a fresh, new thick pair of gardening gloves with gripper palms.
  • You could also cut the fruit into slices and use a heart shaped cookie cutter.
  • For more detailed designs, draw a template first on a sheet of white paper with a marker or pencil. When finished, transfer the image to the watermelon surface by taping the paper to the melon and tracing along the designs lines with a pencil, making the design right on the watermelon surface.
  • Have the whole watermelon at room temperature when you carve. The cuts will be easier to make when the watermelon is not cold. You can chill the watermelon in the refrigerator after cutting and before serving.
  • Consider using a channel knife for certain cuts and to hollow out larger areas.
  • Choose a flat working surface on a solid base.
  • After you’ve drawn the design on the rind, insert toothpicks in key places to use as guides for your cuts.
  • Use a sharp knife with a pointed tip – the sharper the knife, the easier and cleaner the cuts will be. Be careful!

Warnings

  • Do not try to pick up the watermelon from the "handle." It's only for decoration and there's a good chance it'll break if you try to use it, especially if the basket is filled.
  • When attaching cut pieces on the watermelon to make your design, use round toothpicks or skewers. Flat toothpicks will often break due to weight of the piece or the thickness of the rind.
  • Knives are sharp! Be very careful when handling sharp knives, and never cut towards yourself or someone else.

Things You'll Need

  • Watermelon
  • Knife
  • Pencil
  • Toothpicks- solid round ones
  • Carving knife
  • Heart-shaped cookie-cutters large and small (optional)
  • Heart-shaped template (optional)

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Sources and Citations

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