How to Make Heart Shaped Fruit Designs

Last Updated: December 27, 2021

Getting ready for a romantic evening or vying for that perfect Valentine’s Day presentation? Skip the flowers and create an “edible” arrangement of fruit carved into hearts. You can take a variety of approaches to this creation; however cutting and choosing the fruit is vital to making this arrangement a delicious success.

Steps

1
Determine your design. Before you even purchase the fruit, you’ll need a “blueprint” to help you decide what kind of fruit to purchase, how much, and the overall design scope.
- Decide how you will present the fruit. You could lay out the heart-shaped fruit on a platter or you could line hearts up on a wooden skewer. Additionally, you could “mix and match” fruit shapes (i.e. cut out a heart shape inside a slice of watermelon and then replace the cut space with a heart that was cut from a mango).
- Select your serving bowl or platter. The size will dictate the amount of room your arrangement will take up on the table or display.
2
Create or download a heart template. In order to ensure each shape is perfect, you should have a variety of heart sizes on hand. Either freehand draw or download the heart shape onto a regular piece of paper. Then transfer the shape template to a piece of parchment paper so it won’t whither or tear during use (or interaction with the fruit). Remember to cut out the template too.

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3
Select and purchase ripe, but not overly ripe fruit. Avoid mushy (or overly ripe) fruit. That way, the fruit will taste better. Make sure that when you hold the fruit in your hands, you can gently squeeze it so it doesn’t dent.
- Examine fruit for molding or browning. Even though you may not be using the rind or external section of the fruit, browning may indicate that the flesh may be compromised.
- Consider choosing fruit that is in season. Purchasing fruit is not only for freshness, but fruit that is in season will save you a good chunk of money.
4
Wash and dry each piece of fruit. Make sure the fruit is completely dry before cutting into it so that it doesn’t slip from your hand and open you to being cut.
5
Cut/peel and remove the fruit’s skin. When it comes to fruit with eatable skin like apples, make a personal decision whether you want to leave it on (to add more color or contrast) or you like your apple completely naked.
6
Cut out larger or base designs. This includes a fruit base that might hold wooden skewers or larger fruit slices that will display smaller hearts. This step will most likely not involve cutting out heart shapes.
7
Slice heart shapes using template(s). Lay the template over the pre-cut fruit and follow the template lines with your paring knife. Re-use or discard surrounding fruit as you work.
8
Assemble fruit arrangement. Using toothpicks and wooden skewers, put hearts together and/or fill empty heart spaces with cut fruit.
9
Finished.

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