Summer and hot weather are the perfect time for a ripe, delicious, and slightly chilled watermelon to quench your thirst. And if you’re planning to enjoy this giant fruit with a small group of friends, we have a fun little project for you: carving a watermelon shark with its mouth filled with chilled watermelon cubes, grapes, or other tasty small berries.
Materials and Tools You Will Need:
- 1 large oblong watermelon;
- A sharp kitchen knife;
- A tablespoon and teaspoon;
- A couple of toothpicks;
- A cutting board (optional);
- A dry-erase marker (optional).
Step-by-Step Instructions:
- Wash the watermelon thoroughly and dry it with a towel. Spin it around to find the best side with the most even color (this will be the front of your shark). By the way, if the best side happens to be near the stem, don’t worry—you can just cut it out as part of the mouth.
- Turn the watermelon to the opposite side and cut off a flat slice so it can stand upright securely. Hint: If you make the cut at a slight angle, the shark will look like it’s naturally emerging and leaping out of the water.
- Stand the watermelon on the flat base and plan the shape of the future shark’s mouth. You can use a dry-erase marker to outline the mouth. If you have a good eye, you can skip this step and proceed.
- Use your knife to carefully cut out the mouth following your marked lines (or just eyeball it). Pull out the large wedge.
- If you drew guide lines, wipe them off with a damp cloth—you won’t need them anymore.
- Next, make a shallow cut around the mouth opening, starting from the corners. At its widest point, it should be about 0.6 inches (1.5 cm) wide. Do this for both the upper and lower “lips.”
- Now, perpendicular to the previous cut, carefully peel away the thin layer of green rind to reveal the white part underneath. You will carve this light rim into teeth in a later step.
- Using a knife and a spoon, scoop out the sweet red flesh from inside the mouth. Note: Don’t scrape the inside completely down to the white rind; the shark’s mouth cavity should remain reddish to look realistic.
- Now that the inside of the shark’s mouth is ready, start cutting the teeth into the white rim. Simply cut out small triangles as shown in the picture. It’s best to start from the center of the mouth with the largest teeth and move towards the corners, gradually decreasing their size.
- Take the leftover rind from the mouth cutout and carve a triangular dorsal fin. Insert a couple of toothpicks into the base of this triangle and attach it to the back/head of the shark.
- Take the watermelon flesh you scooped out in step 8 and cut it into bite-sized cubes. Mix these cubes with grapes, candies, or other fruits. For example, you can add cherries, strawberries, or chopped peaches. The more contrasting the fruits, the more impressive the shark’s mouth will look.
- To make the shark’s eyes, scoop out small shallow holes using a teaspoon. The eye sockets should be slightly smaller than the grapes you will use, so they fit snugly. Dark or black grapes work best for the eyes.
- Your watermelon shark is almost ready! You can stop at this step and serve it as is. Or, you can decorate the dish further by adding a tasty jelly “water” imitation. To do this, prepare some clear gelatin or jelly and add a few drops of blue food coloring during preparation. Note: Make the jelly in advance, as it needs time to set in the fridge.
- Place the watermelon shark on a large platter, cut the blue jelly into cubes, and arrange it around the base of the shark. This creates the cool effect of a shark bursting out of the ocean to catch its prey.
- You can additionally decorate the water with gummy candies (especially if you have fish-shaped ones on hand).
- There you have it—an amazing and creative dessert! Don’t forget to chill this masterpiece in the fridge before serving. Your creation will surely spark genuine excitement among your guests, especially the kids!
VIDEO: Watermelon Shark Carving Technique!
Enjoy your creative project and have a delicious weekend!
