Match your Christmas magnums of bubbly with Mrs Crunch’s equally delicious nibbles

GO large on your favourite drinks this Christmas for an extra dose of festive cheer.

Make yours a magnum of wine or bubbly, giving yourself a litre-and-a-half for – hopefully – sharing with family and pals.

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With some great deals on big bottles, double the fun doesn’t need to be double the price.

Match the drinks to some tasty festive nibbles, along with these recipes from , and you’ll soon get a head start on the Christmas fun.

• Drinks prices are for England. They may vary in rest of the UK.

The white stuff

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DRINK: A magnum-sized bottle of Miscela sauvignon blanc is £9.99 in store at Morrisons until Sunday, excludes online.

MATCH WITH: Lovely with veg and white meats. One for a Christmas meal, with a Morrisons stuffed turkey crown, typically around 2kg and £34.

Nifty for nibbles

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DRINK: A magnum of Coppiere extra dry prosecco is £9.99 at Morrisons until Sunday, excludes online.

MATCH WITH: Grab a glass and your favourite chicken and veggie nibbles, such as Vegetable Tartlets, £2.50 for nine, from Morrisons.

Choc 'n' roll

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DRINK: M&S has a new rosé prosecco magnum for £18.

MATCH WITH: Pink fizz goes well with choccy desserts. For a festive touch, try M&S hand-decorated chocolate Yule log, 495g, £4.

Cheesy does it

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DRINK: For tasty French bubbles, Crémant de Loire, 1.5 litre, is £22 at Sains-bury’s.

MATCH WITH: Fizz complements cheesy nibbles and is a tasty match with Sainsbury’s Quiche Lorraine, 400g, £2.30.

6 of the best

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DRINK: One of chef James Martin’s favourites, Porta 6 2018 is a Portuguese red available at Majestic. It is £16.99 for a magnum-sized bottle.

MATCH WITH: Try traditional beef Wellington or any hearty steak dish.

A crisp finish

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DRINK: Casillero del Diablo reserva cabernet sauvignon, 1.5l, is now reduced from £15 to £13 in selected Co-op stores.

MATCH WITH: Co-op Irresistible Pigs In Blankets crisps, 150g, £1.70 or buy two packs for £2.

The whole gallon

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DRINK: Aldi’s Tawny port comes in a whopping gallon bottle (that’s four-and-a-half litres!) for £99.

MATCH WITH: Pair fortified wine with desserts and cheese boards, and Aldi specially selected mince pies, £1.49 for six.

A better batter

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DRINK: Tesco has a magnum-sized Valdobbiadene prosecco, £19.

MATCH WITH: Nibbles, such as Tesco Finest ten tempura king prawns 175g, £4. Buy three for the price of two as part of a deal on party food.

Malbec to pie for

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DRINK: A 1.5litre bottle of Beefsteak Club malbec is £9.99 at Morrisons until Sunday – excludes online.

MATCH WITH: Meaty dishes, especially steaks or mini beef Wellingtons. Morrisons cranberry-topped large pork pie, £3, is also a winner.

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Pigs in blankets make mini toad-in-the-holes

Serves 4

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Preparation time: 10 mins

Cooking time: 45 mins

YOU NEED:

• 150g plain flour
• 3 eggs
• 150ml semi-skimmed milk
• 2 tbsp vegetable oil
• 2 packs frozen 12 pigs in blankets
• 150g frozen sliced red onions

METHOD:

1. Pre-heat oven to 220C/Fan 200/Gas Mark 6.
2. Place two pigs in blankets in each hole of a 12-hole muffin tin. Place the tin in the oven for 15 mins.
3. Remove the tin from the oven, turn the sausages over then sprinkle over the frozen sliced red onions and drizzle each hole with a little oil before placing back in the oven for a further 15 mins.
4. In the meantime, sift the flour and make a well in the centre. Crack in the eggs. With a whisk, beat lightly, then gradually pour in half the milk, beating all the time to form a smooth, thick batter. Continue for two minutes, then whisk in the remaining liquid.
5. Remove the sausages from the oven and place on a heat-proof surface.
6. Very carefully, pour the batter over the sausages evenly into each hole.
7. Place these back in the oven for 15 minutes undisturbed.
8. Remove from the oven, leave to cool for a few minutes, then serve with gravy and frozen mashed potato and frozen fine green beans as prepared according to instructions.

Five-ingredient Christmas cake

Serves 20

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Preparation time: 1 hr

Cooking time: 3 hrs

YOU NEED:

• 200g butter, softened
• 200g dark brown sugar
• 225g plain flour
• 4 eggs, medium
• 1kg dried mixed fruit
• To decorate:
• 100g icing sugar
• 13g cinnamon sticks
• 3 sprigs rosemary
• 5 star anise

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METHOD:

1. Heat the oven to 150C/130C Fan/Gas Mark 3. Fully line a 20cm round, loose-bottomed cake tin with baking parchment. Cream the butter and sugar until fluffy.
2. Add 2 tbsp flour and the eggs and beat well. Sift in the rest of the flour and fold in. Mix in the fruit then spoon into the tin and level. Cover the tin with a circle of lightly oiled baking parchment, bake for 2 hrs 30 mins. Remove the paper ‘lid’ and bake for a further 30 minutes.
3. Insert a metal skewer into the centre. If it comes out clean, the cake is cooked. If not, return to the oven for ten minutes or so, then retest.
4. Allow to cool in the tin for 20 minutes, then remove and leave on a wire rack until cold.
5. To decorate, cut out a few stars from thin cardboard, place over the top of your cooled cake and dust with icing sugar. Tie some ribbon around the cake.
6. Make a bundle of cinnamon sticks and fresh rosemary sprigs using thin ribbon. Place on the cake with sugar-frosted cranberries and star anise.

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