Halloween pumpkin carving
Today, we would like to present you with some excellent inspiration for an autumnal decoration for Halloween. In a total of seven steps, we'll show you how to carve a typical Halloween pumpkin head yourself, what you need and how to make your work of art last for a long time.
Pumpkin carving preparation and materials
The workstation should be set up before starting. A larger sheet of paper is suitable as a work surface and cutting board.
You will also need a variation of knives, household scissors, a menu spoon, a cereal bowl or bowl, a towel, a black felt-tip pen, the carving template and, of course, the Halloween carving pumpkin.
Pumpkin carving template
When choosing a carving template, you have several options: You can download suitable templates from the Internet or get creative yourself.
For example, draw the eyes and nose of the face in the form of triangles on your template. You can make the pumpkin head's mouth scary and funny by leaving individual gaps between the teeth. Then, cut out your matching template with the ZWILLING shears.
Pumpkin face copy
The next step is to copy the contours of the face onto the pumpkin using a water-soluble felt-tip pen. The best way to do this is to place the carving template on the desired area of the pumpkin.
If you are working with children, it is a good idea to stick the template to the pumpkin to prevent it from slipping.
Cut up the pumpkin
First, remove the lid from the pumpkin. Cut approx. 2 cm into the skin and cut around the pumpkin. We recommend using a Bread knife for this. The typical serrated edge of the blade gives the lid slight curves, creating creative accents. You can also choose the classic version and cut out the pumpkin lid in a round shape.
Ensure the lid is large enough to place a candle in it later. Also, leave the stem in place as it serves as a handle when changing the candles.
Hollow out the pumpkin
Once you have removed the lid, you can start hollowing out the pumpkin. First, you can "cut out" the inside with a bread knife.
Then, use a spoon to remove the pumpkin seeds and all the pumpkin flesh. There should be a 2 cm rim at the end. Ensure that as much of the inner pumpkin flesh as possible is removed so that the pumpkin does not go bad so quickly. The formation of the cavity will also allow the light from the candle to shine better later.
Carving a pumpkin face
Now, you can start carving with a ZWILLING boning knife. Thanks to the tapered blade, the knife penetrates the pumpkin flesh effortlessly without destroying the flesh fibres. As the pumpkin's surface is substantial, you should only cut about 1 cm deep at first. This will make it easier to make corrections later. Final decorations can be made outside the pumpkin.
Your finished Halloween pumpkin will look best in the dark, with a candle in the middle.
Preserving the pumpkin
It is not possible to preserve a pumpkin for a very long time. Mould growth is inevitable once the pumpkin comes into contact with the air. Preserving the pumpkin with hairspray, bleach, or preservative spray does not work.
One way to prevent the pumpkin from decaying is to dry it slowly. To do this, the pumpkin must be placed in a room with low humidity for several weeks before carving. Caution: do not dry the pumpkin in the oven. It will become wrinkly on the outside if the moisture is removed too quickly!
