Watermelon is a fruit that will certainly bring a smile to your guests' faces, especially in summer, when the sweet and juicy fruit is refreshing. Instead of just cutting the watermelon into slices, working a little with the knife and decorating, you can make the watermelon smile back and create a beautiful centerpiece for a picnic or party. Also, carving a smile into a watermelon is a great way to get kids and family excited about eating fresh fruit.
Ingredients
- 1 large round watermelon;
- 2 or 3 cantaloupe or gaul melons.
Steps
Method 1 of 2: Carving a Face
Step 1. Sketch a face on the watermelon
Just as you would a Halloween pumpkin, it's helpful to draw a base to guide your cuts later. Use a pencil to make a half-moon to form an open smile, or a thin curved line for a more discreet smile.
- Don't forget your eyes! Make round eyes for a traditional smiling face, or use long oval shapes to create cartoonish Mickey Mouse-like eyes.
- To add a nose to the watermelon face, draw a small circle or triangle between the eyes and mouth. You can also do eyelashes or dimples if you like!
- You can research pumpkin carving designs to make a more elaborate face. Carving watermelons and pumpkins are very similar processes, and most Halloween designs work on a watermelon husk as well.
Step 2. Cut the bottom 0.5 cm from the watermelon to create a base
The fruit won't stand upright on its own, so create a flat base so it doesn't get shaky or make the smile look crooked. Choose any side for the base.
Step 3. Cut the top 4 cm of the watermelon and set aside
This is an easy way to get the "stuffing" out of the fruit, and the rind can be used later to create decorations and accessories for your watermelon. Do not cut more than 4 cm, or your face may get a little pinched.
Cutting a piece of this measure can be too much for the size of your watermelon, so if so, cut just enough to expose the inside of the fruit. The important thing is not the size of the cut, but accessing the filling and still having space to carve a face in front
Step 4. Spoon the fruit filling and place the balls in a bowl
Use an ice cream scoop or specific spoon to make melon or watermelon balls to remove the entire inside of the fruit and place the balls in a large bowl. Use the utensil as if you were making ice cream balls, allowing the fruit to wrap around itself.
If you have cantaloupe and gaul melons, use a spoon on them as well to add some color and variety to the filling
Step 5. Carve the face with a knife
It's much harder to carve when the watermelon still has the filling, so take it all off before starting the face. Cut to the inside of the pencil marks for the smile and eyes (and also for the nose and other features, if you have one) with a knife and set aside the pieces of bark when finished. They can be used for decorating later.
Cutting the smile off before removing the inside of the watermelon can squeeze the filling out of the watermelon, reducing the number of balls you can make
Method 2 of 2: Adding Fruit Balls and Other Decorations
Step 1. Cut different shapes using the removed shells and cookie cutters
It doesn't matter what shapes you choose, as long as you like them. Consider cutting thin strips of watermelon rind to create eyebrows for the face and securing them with halved toothpicks. Set these shapes aside on a plate.
- The watermelon balls will be round, so using round shapes can make the watermelon look more bubbly.
- Alternatively, leaf, flower and star shapes can give a natural, organic aesthetic.
Step 2. Use the spoon from before on other fruits such as cantaloupe melon and gaul
With the same technique you used on the watermelon, make balls out of other melons. They will add color and variety to the mix, and can be used to create "teeth".
Step 3. Place toothpicks into some melon balls and hold in mouth
This will make the watermelon look like it has teeth and may prevent the filling from coming out of your mouth if it's too big, but it's an entirely optional step.
If you have a thin smile instead of an open one, you may not have enough space to add teeth. Feel free to increase your smile if you want to create melon teeth
Step 4. Place the mixed melon balls in the top opening of the watermelon
After making balls with cantaloupe melon, gallia and of course the watermelon, mix them in a bowl using your hands and carefully place them into the empty watermelon. You must fill it so that some of the balls are visible above the opening.
The teeth you added earlier should keep the balls inside, but if they don't, consider letting them out, as if the watermelon is drooling. It might look a little gross, but kids will love it, especially if you've done a Halloween design
Step 5. Insert toothpicks into the shapes you cut and add to the watermelon
In a circle around the top opening, place the shapes you cut out of the excess shell to create a type of crown. Add eyebrows above the eyes if you like, and decorate the sides and base of the watermelon with other shapes to complete.
If you have cut out flower shapes, you can place a watermelon ball in the center of each one so that they look authentic and colorful
Step 6. Decorate the base with melon balls, other fruits and toothpicks, and enjoy
The watermelon smile will bring a smile to anyone who wants a melon ball, and the variety of fruits will give people who don't like watermelon something else to taste while enjoying their creation. Leave enough toothpicks near the base for easy access!