As Christmas approaches, festive parties might well be on the calendar and so here are a few cocktail recipes to have up your sleeve for when it’s your turn to do the entertaining.

I’ve chosen two classic alcohol-based cocktails and then a non-alcohol festive twist on a Moscow Mule to get everyone in the party spirit.

A French 75 makes the perfect welcome drink whilst the Godfather Sour is my go-to as an evening progresses. The Cranberry Mule will save any non-drinkers from missing out!

All recipes make one drink.

Big thanks to Grant Walker for being a most excellent bar man at our cocktail evening and to Anna Place for being on camera duty.

French 75

Ingredients:

30ml/1 shot gin

15ml/1/2 shot fresh lemon juice

15ml/ 1/2 shot simple sugar syrup

90ml/3 shots sparking wine

Garnish: lemon twist

Put the gin, lemon juice and sugar syrup in a shaker with ice, and shake until chilled.

Pour in to a flute/coupe glass and top with the sparkling wine.

Garnish with a twist of lemon.

Godfather Sour

Ingredients:

1 shot/30ml whisky

1 shot/30ml Amaretto

1 shot/30ml fresh lemon juice 

1/4 shot/7.5ml sugar syrup (2:1 sugar:water ratio)

1/2 shot/15ml egg white

Garnish: orange twist

Add all ingredients to a cocktail shaker with ice.

Close and shake for 30 seconds, then strain into a short glass, with ice.

Garnish with an orange twist.

Cranberry Mule Mocktail

Ingredients:

45ml/ 1 1/2 shot of cranberry juice 

15ml/ 1/2 shot fresh lime juice

180ml / 6 shots ginger ale

Garnish: lime slice

Fill a high ball glass half full with ice.

Add the ingredients in the order of cranberry, lime and finally ginger ale.

Garnish with a slice of lime.