Trick food: Watermelon Apple Slices

We love a bit of creative trickery when it comes to food, and so do kids. These apple slices are easy to make, you just need a steady hand to slice and decorate them. They're great for birthday parties, surprising afternoon teas or any old time. 

What you’ll need:

• Granny Smith apples
• sharp knife
• small pastry brush
• raspberry juice from defrosted raspberries (a spoonful of frozen raspberries should have enough juice to paint 2 apples)
• 1 tsp nigella or black sesame seeds

 Method:

1. Slice apples into wedges. Put them into a salt solution* (see below for instructions) at this point, if you wish, to stop them from browning.
2. Dry apple wedges on a clean tea towel.
3. Dip a pastry brush (or use a finger) into the raspberry juice and paint onto each apple slice. Leave a little strip of apple close to the apple skin unpainted so that it looks just like a real watermelon! Sometimes you need to do a couple of coats of raspberry juice to make the red really stand out.
4. Press a few seeds on each side of the apple slice. Then they’re ready to eat!

*To make the salt solution:

Make a salt solution to soak the pears with to stop them from discolouring. 

1. Dissolve 1 tsp of salt in a little bit of boiling water, then add 500ml / 17 fl oz of cold water. 
2. Once you’ve finished cutting fruit into their desired shapes, pop them in the solution for around 10 minutes.
3. When you’re ready to use them, rinse under fresh water to get rid of any salty taste, then place them on a clean tea towel to dry.

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Trick Food: Watermelon Apple Slices was originally published in Lunch Lady Magazine Issue 27. Recipe and photography by Rachel Savage.