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Christmas drinks: Our 5 festive favourites

Whether it's something you only have at Christmas, or a seasonal twist on one of your go-to beverages, there are few better ways to get in the 'spirit' than a festive-themed drink. 

Here are a few of our favourites:


Mulled cider

Ingredients for 2 litres

  • 1.5l cider, no- or low-alcohol cider or sparkling apple juice
  • 400ml apple juice
  • 75g dark brown sugar
  • Zest of 1 orange, pared into strips
  • 4 whole cloves
  • 2 cinnamon sticks
  • A few tablespoons of rum or bourbon (if you are having the alcoholic version)

Put all the ingredients in a saucepan, cover and put on a very gentle heat for 20-30mins. Strain and serve.

 

Gingerbread martini

Ingredients for 4 serve:

  • 200ml vodka
  • 50ml hazelnut-flavoured liqueur
  • 25ml herbal digestif or liqueur (e.g. Pastis or Fernet)
  • 50ml ginger syrup 

Pour the syrup into a 500ml bottle along with all the alcohol and 100ml cold water. Shake and serve in chilled glasses.

 

Festive negroni

Ingredients for 4-8 serves:

  • 3 cinnamon sticks
  • 4 whole cloves
  • 2 star anise
  • 2 cardamom pods, crushed
  • 1 tsp black peppercorns
  • 200ml gin
  • ice
  • 100-200ml vermouth
  • 100-200ml Campari

Toast the cinnamon, cloves, star anise, cardamom and peppercorns for 5 mins. Then tip all the toasted spices into a jar, pour over the gin and seal to infuse. Leave for at least 24 hours.

Strain the gin and fill tumblers with ice. Add 25-50ml each of the gin, vermouth and campari. Garnish with a slice of orange peel and serve.

 

Christmas hot chocolate

Ingredients for 4 serves:

  • 700-800ml milk
  • 2 tbsp light brown sugar
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 110g milk chocolate, roughly chopped
  • 110g dark chocolate, roughly chopped

Heat the milk with the sugar and vanilla and a pinch of salt until bubbling. Whisk in the chocolate until fully combined and serve straight away with mini marshmallows on top!

 

Sloe gin fizz

Ingredients for 1 serve:

  • 50ml sloe gin
  • 25ml lemon juice
  • 2 tsp sugar syrup
  • ice
  • sparkling water

Pour the sloe gin, lemon juice and sugar syrup into a cocktail shaker and fill up with ice cubes. Shake well until the outside of the shaker feels cold, then strain into a tall glass filled with more ice. Top up with sparkling water and stir gently. Feel free to add a slice of lemon or a festive garnish of your choice.