These are so fun to make. These fruit baskets can even double as a center piece on a small or crowded table since they are so cute to look at but also serve a practical purpose.
I've made these for birthdays, showers, and bbq's. This particular basket was made for our Easter brunch table this year. I kind of had to make it in a hurry because everyone was ready to eat! The boys always play wiffle ball in the backyard, and once they are called inside to eat, they are not willing to wait long or else they comment about how they could still be playing outside. hahaha :)
First, wash your watermelon. Then, rotate it around until you find which side would make the best bottom:
Place the tip of a sharp serrated knif right under the watermelon- right there where it is touching the counter top- and gently spin the watermelon around to etch a circle under your watermelon. Then take your knife and carefully shave that circle to create a 'foot print' for your watermelon to stand on (or else it might rock back and forth later and dump your salad out)... BUT be *very cautious* NOT to break into the red part of the melon.
With your melon standing on its 'footing', take your knife tip and etch the handle and sides of the basket. Essentially, it will just be two big wedges that you are cutting out. Make sure the two sides are basically even and matching before you cut into it.
Cut the two wedges out and save them for eating later... I gave mine to the boys that were playing wiffle ball outside.
Then carefully slice along the underside of your basket handle and release the entire inner section of fruit.
Then use a melon-baller to get all the fruit out of the inside of the melon basket.
*TAKE IT EASY at the bottom of the basket. Remember that foot you cut out of the bottom? If you are too aggressive getting the melon out, you might go right through the bottom and end up with a leaky basket (I guess there are worse things in life)
Then carve any detail you like around the edge of the basket. Mine isn't the prettiest or most professional-looking (since the boys were on their way in), but you get the idea here:
Then mix your melon balls with any fruit assortment you like for a fruit salad. Here is the final product presented on our easter brunch table:
I usually like to decorate around my basket with pretty and edible foliage, like grape leaves on a curly vine or bright orange nasturtiums.
Since your are removing all the melon from inside the basket and then filling all that melon PLUS other fruits back into the shell, you will have enough mixed fruit salad to fill and refill the fruit 'basket'.
