Christmas Cocktails - Cheers!

For me Christmas isn't Christmas unless you wake up to a Bucks Fizz at breakfast, it sets the mood for an indulgent day where the word 'no' is substituted for 'oh go on then'.

Try out some of these lesser known festive cocktails.......

SLOE ROYALES

(Kir Royales are one of my all time favourite drinks but I also love sloe gin and as i gave you the recipe a few weeks ago this is a great way to use it)

50ml sloe gin

300ml chilled Champagne or Prosecco

edible glitter (optional)

Divide the gin between 2 champagne flutes and top up each with 150ml Champgane or Prosecco. For an extra sparkle add a prinkle of edible glitter to each flute before filling.

Cranberry sours

300g frozen cranberries

100ml Cointreau (or other orange liqueur)

100ml fresh orange juice

2 tbsp lime juice

2-3 tbsp maple syrup

big bag crushed ice.

Put cranberries, liqueur, orange & lime juices & maple syrup into a food processor or blender. Blitz till the berries are as finely chopped as possible.

Strain through a fine sieve, working the cranberry pulp against the mesh with a spatula or spoon until you have extracted all of the liquid. Chill until needed.

When ready to serve, fill small glasses with crushed ice, then pour over the almost fluorescent pink cocktail.

Chocolate Orange Cocktail

100g golden caster sugar

zest of 1 orange or Clementine

grated dark chocolate to decorate

100ml vodka

100ml crème de cacao

60ml orange syrup

40ml orange juice

ice

• Make an orange syrup by combining 100ml water with the golden caster sugar & the orange or Clementine zest in a pan to the boil. Cool and strain the syrup.

• Chill 4 coupe glasses, then dampen the rims with a little water and dip in the grated chocolate. In a cocktail shaker, shake the vodka, crème de cacao, orange syrup and orange juice with ice. Pour into the glass.

CHRISTMAS COSMOPOLITAN

500ml vodka

500ml ginger wine

1 litre cranberry juice

Juice of 5 limes, keep zest for garnish

Sliced stem ginger

Mix the vodka and ginger wine in a jug. Stir in the cranberry juice, lime juice and some sliced stem ginger. Garnish with the lime zest.

X Cheers Everyone X