Watermelon Fruit Basket

Chilled watermelon fruit basket.

Watermelon Fruit Basket How To:

1.  Start by outlining where to carve with either a watermelon carving tool (pictured on cutting board below) or a with a sharp (I would use a short) knife.  The handle will be approximately in the middle of the melon.

Incise a line half-way around the long part of the watermelon then up and around for one half of the handle.  Remove the knife.

Start carving again once you’ve decided how thick you want your handle to be.   Incise up and around for the other half of the handle and continuing half-way around the rest of the long part of the melon.

Outline where to carve.

2.  Once you’ve carved all the way around, leaving one section as your handle, break off both top portions of the melon.  The watermelon in those portions will go into your fruit salad.

One top potion of melon cut out.

3.  Break off the other top portion of melon and cut out melon under the handle.

Both top portions of melon are broken off. Melon under handle has been cut out.

4.  Scoop out the remaining melon.  Smooth the inside of the watermelon with a spoon. Cut scooped out melon into cubes.  Combine with other fruit.

Scoop out remaining melon.

5.  Pour out excess juice from carved out watermelon.  Place empty watermelon basket in freezer for about an hour (or more) so that the inside will harden a little and the basket will keep the fruit cold when serving.

6. When you are ready to serve, add fruit to you watermelon basket.  The thin layer of ice crystals that formed on my basket melted quickly once I placed it outside to serve.

Ready to serve.