Festive food definitely seems a fair bit more expensive this year, so it’s good to shop around to make sure that bargain-priced turkey doesn’t turn out to be, er, a bit of a turkey taste-wise. I’ve done the research to save you some time and stress, and most of all to find you great quality and flavour at affordable prices.

In the previous article I ran through the best value smoked salmon, turkey and trimmings, and alternative main courses for 2018. Now we’re moving on to look at the most delicious award-winning Christmas pudding, Christmas cake, mince pies and alternative desserts. Then it’s time to round off your festive meal with some bargain chocolates and other sweets. Mmmmm!

Christmas pudding

For 2018 the supermarkets have created some interesting new flavours, and they’ve also brought in several award-winning extra-matured traditional puddings at good prices.

• Asda Extra Special Christmas pudding | £4.50, BBC GoodFood Christmas Taste Award winner. Buy here.
• Marks & Spencer The Collection 12 Month Matured Vintage Christmas Pudding | £12.00, Good Housekeeping Winner. Buy here.
• Lidl 24 Months Matured Christmas Pudding | Quality Food Awards Christmas winner. In store only.
• Waitrose & Partners Heston from Waitrose Golden Delicious Pudding | £14.00, Good Housekeeping runner up. Buy here or from Ocado.
• Sainsbury’s Taste The Difference Cognac Laced 18 Month Matured Christmas Pudding | £9.00, BBC GoodFood Christmas Taste Award highly commended and Good Housekeeping #5. Buy here.
• Tesco Finest 12 Month Mature Christmas Pudding | £8.00 for 907g, BBC GoodFood Christmas Taste Award highly commended and Good Housekeeping #7. Buy here.

• Aldi Specially Selected Salted Caramel Vodka Pudding | £6.99, Quality Food Awards Christmas highly commended + Good Housekeeping #8. In store only.
• Tesco Free From Cranberry and Orange Christmas Pudding | £3.00, Quality Food Awards Christmas gluten free category highly commended. Buy here.
• Aldi Specially Selected 18 Month Matured Pudding | Great Taste Awards 1*. In store only.
• Aldi Specially Selected Exquisite Vintage Pudding | Great Taste Awards 1*. In store only.
• Co-op Irresistible Sticky Spiced Festive Pudding | £3.00 for 400g, and a Penny’s Pick for the fruit on top, the sticky glaze and being a nice change from the average pud. In store only.
• Iceland Luxury 12 Month Matured Christmas Pudding | £6.00 for 750g, Good Housekeeping #9 and cheapest in their top 10. Buy here.

Brandy butter

• Co-op French Brandy Butter with Courvoisier VS Cognac | £2.00 Good Housekeeping winner. In store only.
• Aldi Specially Selected Brandy Butter with Courvoisier VS Cognac | £1.59, Good Housekeeping runner up. In store only.
• Morrisons The Best French Brandy Butter with Courvoisier VS Cognac | £3.00, Good Housekeeping #3. Buy here.
• Lidl Deluxe Brandy Butter with Courvoisier VS Cognac | £1.49, Good Housekeeping #5 and cheapest in top 10. In store only.

Christmas cake

It’s too late in the year to make your own traditional Christmas cake now, but these supermarket offerings are some of the best around.

• Lidl Winter Wonderland Cake | £9.99, Quality Food Awards Christmas winner. In store only.
• Morrisons The Best Poinsettia Christmas Cake | £12.00, BBC GoodFood Christmas Taste Award winner and Good Housekeeping joint winner. Buy here.
• Sainsbury’s Taste the Difference Falling Leaves Iced Rich Fruit Cake | £15.00, Good Housekeeping joint winner and BBC GoodFood Christmas Taste Award highly commended. Buy here.
• Waitrose & Partners Waitrose 1 Richly Fruited Christmas Cake | £16.00, Good Housekeeping runner up. Buy here or at Ocado.
• Morrisons The Best Fully Iced Christmas Cake | £10.00, Good Housekeeping #4. Buy here.

Alternative cakes & desserts

Of course, not everyone likes traditional desserts such as Christmas pudding, and many people like to opt for an alternative sweet treat to end their meal. There’s so much to choose from this year, from fancy yule logs to gingerbread ice cream. Have a look at my top picks and see who’s won some national taste test awards too.

Cakes, Yule Logs, Panettone etc

• Aldi Specially Selected Belgian Chocolate Yule Log | £5.99, Good Housekeeping winner. In store only.
• Co-op Irresistible Belgian Chocolate Cake | The Grocer Own Brand Awards category champion. In store only.
• Asda Extra Special chocolate, hazelnut & Amaretto stollen loaf | £5.50, BBC GoodFood Christmas Taste Award. Buy here.
• Lidl Deluxe Chocolate Yule Log with Bronze Curls | £3.49, Good Housekeeping runner up. In store only.
• Aldi Specially Selected Exquisite Panettone | £5.99, BBC GoodFood Christmas Taste Award winner and Quality Food Awards Christmas highly commended. In store only.

• Morrisons The Best chocolate orange and brandy panettone | £7.00, BBC GoodFood Christmas Taste Award highly commended. Buy here.
• Aldi Specially Selected Exquisite Hidden Village Chocolate Bauble Cake | £12.99, Quality Food Awards Christmas shortlisted, this also gets a Penny’s Pick for being an impressive centrepiece, a rich, moist cake with beautiful chocolate decoration on the top. In store only.
• Co-op Irresistible White Christmas Snow Globe | £10.00. A Penny’s Pick for this white dome-topped sparkly dessert with an extremely scoffable mousse-y filling, choc sponge and white chocolate pieces. In store only.
• Asda Extra Special Chocolate Cake | £2.00, Quality Food Awards Christmas shortlisted. Buy here.
• Lidl Deluxe Golden Hazelnut & Praline Sponge | Quality Food Awards Christmas shortlisted. In store only.

Frozen

• Co-op Irresistible Kir Royale Semifreddo | £4.00 for 360g, gets the Penny’s Pick award for its decadently delicious fruit and perfect texture, and it’s Quality Food Awards Christmas highly commended too. In store only.
• Aldi Specially Selected Christmas Ice Cream – Espresso Martini | Quality Food Awards Christmas shortlisted. In store only.
• Aldi Specially Selected Christmas Ice Cream – Gingerbread Latte | Quality Food Awards Christmas shortlisted. In store only.

Other desserts

• Lidl Deluxe Crumble Tarts Salted Caramel & Apple | Quality Food Awards Christmas frozen desserts winner. In store only.
• Lidl Sticky Toffee Pudding | Great Taste Awards 2*. In store only.
• Co-op Irresistible Sticky Toffee Pudding | The Grocer Own Brand Awards category champion. In store only.
• Lidl Black Forest Kirsch Trifle | The Grocer Own Brand Awards innovation winner. In store only.
• Lidl Deluxe Apple & Salted Caramel Crumble Tart | The Grocer Own Brand Awards category champion. In store only.

• Lidl Deluxe Croquembouche | £6.99, The Grocer Own Brand Awards innovation winner and a Penny’s Pick for being a great value showstopper. In store only.
• Asda Extra Special Raspberry & Pistachio Wreath | £6.00, another Penny’s Pick, this one’s a tasty chocolate meringue, topped with ganache and whipped cream for an indulgent dessert. Buy here.
• Lidl Deluxe luxury stollen with Jamaican rum | £3.99, BBC GoodFood Christmas Taste Award winner. In store only.
• Iceland Luxury Black Forest Layered Pavlova | £6.00, BBC GoodFood Christmas Taste Award highly commended and Quality Food Awards Christmas shortlisted. Buy here.
• Asda Extra Special Chocolate & Caramel Pyramid pudding | £6.00, Quality Food awards Christmas shortlisted. Buy here.
• Aldi Specially Selected Sticky Toffee Pudding | Great Taste Awards 1*. In store here.
• Lidl Deluxe Raspberry & Hazelnut Roulade | Great Taste Awards 1*. In store only.

Mince pies

Time for a little snack? Some of the alternative fillings and flavours caught my eye, and tastebuds, for 2018.

• Morrisons The Best Mince Pies | £2.00, BBC GoodFood Christmas Taste Award winner and Good Housekeeping winner. Buy here.
• M&S The Collection 6 Mince Pies | £2.50, Good Housekeeping joint runner up. In store only.
• Aldi Specially Selected Mince Pies | £1.35,  winner + Good Housekeeping joint runner up and cheapest in their top 10. In store only. Their Chocolate Cherry / Black Forest mince pies (£1.99) are a Penny’s Pick too – different and delicious.
• Iceland Luxury Mince Pies | £1.89, Good Housekeeping #5 tied, also notable for not using palm oil. Buy here.
• Tesco Finest Mince Pies | £2.00, Good Housekeeping #5 tied. Buy here.
• Co-op Irresistible Spiced Caramel & Rum Mince Pies | £2.00 for 4. This is the Penny’s Pick mince pie winner for the interesting, very tasty filling and perfectly buttery pastry. In store only.
• Asda Extra Special All-Butter Luxury Mince Pies | £1.39, Quality Food Awards Christmas highly commended. Buy here.
• Aldi Specially Selected Exquisite mince pies | £2.99, BBC GoodFood Christmas Taste Award highly commended. In store only.
• Lidl Deluxe Mince Pies | Quality Food Awards Christmas highly commended. In store only.
• Asda Extra Special 6 Crumble Mince Pies | £2.00, Quality Food Awards Christmas shortlisted and a customer favourite. Buy here.

Gluten free

• Morrisons Free From Mince Pies | £2.00, Good Housekeeping Gluten Free Winner and BBC GoodFood Christmas Taste Award. Buy here.
• Waitrose & Partners gluten-free star topped mince pies | BBC GoodFood Christmas Taste Award gluten free highly commended. Buy here or at Ocado.
• Aldi Gluten Free Mince Pies | £1.79, Good Housekeeping Gluten Free #4. In store only.
• Asda Free From Mince Pies | £1.50, Good Housekeeping Gluten Free #8 and their cheapest in the top 10. Buy here.

Chocolate & sweets

• Aldi Specially Selected Gourmet Marshmallows, Gin and Rhubarb flavour | Quality Food Awards Christmas winner. In store only.
• Asda Extra Special Handmade Cornish Sea Salt Caramel Fudge | £2.00, The Grocer Own Brand Awards innovation winner, also beautifully gift boxed. Buy here.
• Aldi Moser Roth Mini Gifting chocolate bars | Quality Food Awards Christmas highly commended. In store only.
• Co-op Irresistible Winter Dessert Selection box of chocolates | £6.00 for 15 pieces. These get a Penny’s Pick award for being the lighter alternative to a heavy pudding, with flavours including Christmas Pudding and Sticky Toffee Pudding. Nice enough to give as a gift, and all their chocs are Fairtrade too. In store only.
• Aldi Specially Selected Fudge Bauble, Gin flavour | Quality Food Awards Christmas shortlisted. In store only.
• Asda Extra Special Handmade Christmas Pudding Fudge | £2.00, Quality Food Awards Christmas shortlisted. Buy here.

That’s it for today – which one of these festive treats is your favourite?

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If you missed Part 1 of this series (best value smoked salmon, turkey and trimmings, and alternative main courses), you can read it here. Part 3 is about great value and delicious snacks, cheese, Boxing Day, buffet and party foods, so you might also be interested in the biggest award winners and Penny’s Picks there too.