Joint winner: Aldi Specially Selected the ultimate salt-aged Himalayan smoked salmon
Buttery and smooth, this is a great example of a classic smoked salmon.
Available from:
Aldi in-store (£3.99)
Joint winner: M&S Collection cherry & chestnut wood smoked salmon
This has a creamy, soft and smooth texture, rich flavour and attractive darker colour from the cherry and chestnut wood smoke.
Available from:
M&S in-store (£6)
Ocado (£6)
Best hot canapé
Joint winner: Aldi Specially Selected mini Barber’s cheese & ham scones
We haven’t seen mini scones as a canapé before, and these impressed us with good buttery flavour, a salty tang from the ham and a melty cheese filling.
Available from:
Aldi, launching soon (£4.99)
Joint winner: Tesco Finest scallop & prawn toast
Deeply golden and crisp, with black and white sesame seeds, these toasts are also well-filled and spiced with spring onions, garlic and ginger for subtle heat.
Available from:
Tesco, launching soon (£5.50)
The main event
Best turkey crown
Joint winner: Sainsbury’s Taste the Difference British free-range bronze turkey crown with pork, apricot, pear, cranberry & candied ginger stuffing
For a showstopper, this does the job with its golden, glossy glaze and crispy bacon that has good smoky flavour. The meat is juicy and complemented by a fruity apricot and cranberry stuffing.
Available from:
Sainsbury’s (£22.75 per kg)
Joint winner: M&S Oakham hot maple-glazed turkey crown
This will add some extra flavour to your Christmas table – judges loved the sticky, peppery hot maple glaze and stuffing packed with fruit.
Available from:
M&S (£50)
Ocado (£50)
Best alternative Christmas main
Winner: Booths British porchetta
Here’s an eye-catching centrepiece with moreish, salty, crunchy crackling. The pork is tender, with a herby filling rolled inside.
Available from:
Booths (£21, 1.55kg)
Runner-up: Sainsbury’s Taste the Difference Discovery 35-day dry-aged Aberdeen Angus rump joint with a velvety tarragon & pepper cream sauce
A joint that’s easy to cook and carve, and comes with a sharp mushroom sauce. The meat stayed tender and juicy in the centre once cooked.
Available from:
Sainsbury’s, launching soon (£25)
Best gammon
Winner: M&S slow-cooked bone-in Heritage Gold pork gammon
This bone-in joint is deeply golden brown, with juicy meat that pulls apart easily and well-balanced levels of sweetness and smokiness, without being overpowering.
Available from:
M&S, launching soon (£36)
Best pigs in blankets
Winner: Tesco Finest 10 pork & caramelised onion pigs in blankets
Crispy bacon, flavourful sausage with visible herbs, plus a glaze for extra sweetness – this has everything we’re looking for when it comes to this classic side.
Available from:
Tesco, launching soon (£3.25)
Runner up: Lidl Deluxe pigs in blankets
A chunky sausage if you like larger pigs in blankets. This has good flavour that keeps its heat well.
Available from:
Lidl, launching soon
Best vegetarian main
Winner: M&S Collection mushroom, Barber’s cheddar & leek en croute
A good choice for a veggie centrepiece with beautifully burnished, crisp pastry. The filling has big chunks of mushroom, a creamy sauce and good seasoning.
Available from:
M&S in-store (£12.50)
Ocado (£12.50)
Festive desserts
Best Christmas cake
Winner: M&S perfectly matured iced fruit cake
We love this pretty cake; the layered floral design on the icing makes it feel special and luxurious. The cake is also a generous size, with lots of sultanas and nicely balanced spice, plus good almond flavour in the layer of marzipan.
Available from:
M&S in-store (£24)
Ocado (£22)
Best alternative Christmas cake
Winner: Booths enchanted forest cake
This has a very cute festive design with a pretty snowy scene. The icing is light and sweet, and the cake is fudgy and chocolatey.
Available from:
Booths, launching soon (£28)
Best Christmas pudding
Winner: M&S Collection 12-month matured Christmas pudding with pecans & panettone
Matured for a year, this is a delicious pudding with a tall, rounded shape, glossy appearance and firm texture. There’s plenty of fruit and large chunks of nuts within, so it really delivers the flavour, including citrus and a hint of alcohol.
Available from:
M&S in-store (£16)
Ocado (£16)
Best showstopper dessert
Winner: Morrisons Signature Collection Belgian chocolate & praline star
This has a striking modern design, and is filled with a rich chocolate ganache. The praline adds crunch and a pronounced hazelnut flavour.
Available from:
Morrisons (£15)
Best trifle
Winner: Lidl Deluxe Amontillado sherry trifle
Made with premium sherry, this is a traditional trifle with a generous layer of jellied fruit, a hit of booze and thick custard to balance out the neatly piped cream on top.
Available from:
Lidl, launching soon (£4.99)
Runner-up: Aldi Specially Selected irresistible tiramisu trifle
A great alternative to traditional flavours, for those who love a tiramisu or coffee-flavoured pud. It has smart piping decoration and layers of rich coffee mousse.
Available from:
Aldi, launching soon (£4.99)
Best biscuit tin
Winner: Sainsbury’s Taste the Difference chocolate chip shortbread present tin
The judges enjoyed these sweet, crumbly, buttery biscuits. They have satisfying crunch and are studded with creamy chocolate chips.
Available from:
Sainsbury’s, launching soon (£8)
Runner-up: Morrisons milk biscuit selection
Crowd-pleasing chocolate biscuits with smooth, sweet milk chocolate and a well-balanced ratio of chocolate to biscuit.
Available from:
Morrisons (£6)
Festive bakes
Best classic mince pies
Winner: Morrisons The Best Signature Collection mince pies
Deep-filled mince pies with soft, buttery pastry and a pretty festive star design. The mincemeat filling is juicy and citrussy, with strong orange flavour.
Available from:
Morrisons (£2)
Runner-up: Booths six all butter mince pies
The pastry is pleasingly crumbly and the pies are neatly filled with sweet, jammy mincemeat.
Available from:
Booths, launching soon
Best flavoured mince pies
Winner: Morrisons The Best cherry bakewell mince pies
As well as the mincemeat, these have a frangipane topping that is soft with good almond flavour that’s not too sweet. Flaked almonds add a bit of crunch on top.
Available from:
Morrisons (£3.50)
Best gluten-free mince pies
Winner: Waitrose freefrom mince pies
Judges noted that the pastry has a great texture that’s biscuity and crunchy, and it crumbles well. The mincemeat has plump fruit and a good level of citrus to balance the sweetness.
Available from:
Waitrose (£3)
Best vegan mince pie
Winner: Waitrose mince pies
A thin, crisp layer of pastry with deep golden edges and a generous level of mincemeat that contains plenty of juicy sultanas.
Available from:
Waitrose & Partners (£2.25)
Runner-up: Asda OMV! mince pies
Pretty mince pies with crimped edges and a festive star – these would look great at a Christmas get-together. The pastry is crumbly and the mincemeat soft and smooth.
Available from:
Asda (£1.98)
The judging process
Thirteen supermarkets entered their best Christmas products in 18 categories. Food was prepared and cooked (following pack instructions) by an independent home economist. Packaging was removed and judges tasted all items blind, then submitted comments and a score out of 10 for each product via anonymous judging forms. The process was overseen by an independent adjudicator. This year, we tested 185 products to find the best in each category. We also awarded ‘highly commended’ status to high-scoring entries.
All prices correct at time of publishing. If you have any questions or spot anything that has changed in price or availability please get in touch at goodfoodwebsite@immediate.co.uk.
