6 OF THE BEST

Boozy creams

By Madeleine Howell

Now that you can carefully select this year’s Christmas pudding and stockpile the mince pies, it’s time to put brandy sauce on the shopping list. While we’re fans of butter for smearing and slathering, nothing compares to a generous dollop of intoxicatingly festive cream to ensure good cheer.

As for identifying what’s in the pot, brandy is a distilled spirit, made from any fermented fruit juice (such as grape or apple), from anywhere in the world. Cognac is a brandy, known for its nutty, fruity taste, with hints of caramel, honey and vanilla – but it must be made in the Cognac region of France.

So, while all cognac is brandy, very little brandy is cognac.

But in 2019, it’s not just traditional brandy or cognac sauce (also commonly made with rum) on offer: these days, as well as the classic boozy cream, there are also a number of more unusual alcoholic twists available – from salted caramel to espresso martini-flavoured options. Here are our favourites…

POTTS’ BRANDY SAUCE £3 FOR 275ML, OCADO

Strong stuff, at nine per cent brandy. A thin, rather than a thick consistency, perfect for splashing generously, hot from the hob. It’s rich in vanilla flavours and is delicious with chocolate ice cream or poached peaches. A gluggable version of the classic.

10/10

M&S EXTRA THICK SALTED CARAMEL CREAM £3.50 FOR 200G

With Luxardo caramel spirit (five per cent) and a splash of vodka, this is a creamy treat with caramel sauce, molasses and condensed milk that has a salted, buttery taste; but it may dominate when paired with some desserts. 9/10