Christmas with the Salvos
Christmas with the Salvos is The Salvation Army’s television Christmas special, airing on Channel 7, that aims to bring joy and hope to people this festive season.
This year’s special is hosted by television host, gardener and author Jamie Durie, who joins Salvos singer and ambassador Samantha Jade, chef Jason Roberts and a Salvos team as they head to the Northern Rivers of New South Wales — an area devastated by floods in 2022.
During the 30-minute special, Aussies will see the team cooking special meals for the community, singing Christmas carols and making over some community gardens, as well as gain a small glimpse of the important work of the Salvos at Christmas time across the country.
Christmas with the Salvos will air on Channel 7 on: Sunday 1 December (check local TV guides for times). It will have encore screenings on Sunday 22 December at 12pm AEDT and Christmas Day (Wednesday 25 December) at 1.30pm AEDT. It will also be available to stream on 7Plus from 1 December.
Free Christmas recipes from internationally renowned chef Jason Roberts
Wow your family and guests with these delicious Christmas desserts, as featured in Christmas with the Salvos, courtesy of chef Jason Roberts who is an advocate for helping families cook healthy meals using wholefood ingredients.
Dark chocolate and toasted walnut brownie bites
Ingredients
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220g bittersweet dark chocolate
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200g butter
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1 vanilla bean, split and scraped or 1 tsp of vanilla extract
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200g white sugar
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3 large eggs
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150g almond meal/flour
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150g toasted and chopped walnuts
Method
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Preheat oven to 175°C.
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Line a 9-inch square baking tin with parchment paper and set aside.
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Place chocolate, butter and vanilla bean into a medium-sized bowl set over a saucepan of gently simmering water (making sure the bowl does not come in direct contact with the water). Once melted, remove from heat and allow 5 minutes to cool.
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Meanwhile beat the eggs and sugar in a separate bowl until light and fluffy, fold into the chocolate mixture along with the almond meal and chopped toasted walnuts.
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Tip chocolate and nut batter into the prepared cake tin and bake in the preheated oven for 25–30 minutes. The top will look slightly crusty, but the centre will be still a little soft.
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Remove from heat and allow to cool for 10–15 minutes before turning out onto a cake rack.
Eton mess
Ingredients
Serves 6
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400g fresh strawberries, rinsed and cut into quarters
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¼ cup icing sugar
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300ml thickened cream
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300ml vanilla yoghurt
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1 cup marshmallows, cut into quarters
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6 store-bought meringue nests, lightly crushed
Method
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Place strawberries into a medium-sized bowl and sprinkle over icing sugar and allow to sit for 20 minutes.
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Whip thickened cream to soft peaks and fold through the vanilla yoghurt.
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Fold through the crushed meringue, marshmallows and strawberries.
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Spoon into desired serving vessel.
Christmas with the Salvos aligns with The Salvation Army’s Christmas Appeal, which seeks to raise $27 million to support struggling Australians this Christmas.
During the Christmas period, thanks to the generosity of the Australian public, The Salvation Army nationally:
- Receive over 330,000 gifts and toys for families who might otherwise have gone without
- Provide over 184,000 meals to those experiencing homelessness
- Provide more than 92,000 bed nights for families in need of accommodation during the festive season
*The Salvation Army, Christmas data summary report September 2024