I made a wartime carrot biscuit recipe for VE Day - they tasted like a British classic

Today, most people have heard of carrot cake, but adding grated carrot to biscuits is less common. Whipping up this unusual baked treat to mark the 80th anniversary of , I didn't hold out much hope. Containing just a few tablespoons of sugar and heaps of grated carrot for sweetness, I couldn't imagine the end result being a pleasant experience.

During , the humble carrot was a staple that was used in a plethora of recipes, including desserts. The root vegetable could be found in allotments up and down the country and remains a British staple to this day. Carrots' subtle sweet flavour made it the perfect natural sweetener and was often used in place of exotic, imported fruits. In fact, carrots were promoted during World War 2 for their health benefits, with the character of 'Doctor Carrot' being created to encourage people to consume and grow the humble vegetable.

While I love a moist carrot cake topped with cream cheese frosting, crunchy carrots in a soft biscuit seemed like an odd combination.

The recipe itself was incredibly simple-perfect for an amateur baker like myself-with just five main ingredients. I first creamed together sugar and margarine until the texture turned pale and fluffy. Being in the 21st century, I decided to use an electric whisk, but with such a small quantity of margarine and sugar, I soon realised I would need to use the old-fashioned method.

After incorporating the carrot and the rest of the ingredients, I was convinced the mixture would be too dry. However, the carrots' natural moisture created a surprisingly perfect biscuit batter.

The overall texture of these biscuits was similar to a scone; a soft, crumbly cake texture with a slight crunch on top from the sugar. The carrots were hardly noticeable except for the odd crunch here and there. Despite containing just two tablespoons of sugar and no butter, these biscuits were deliciously sweet and buttery, reminding me of the scones my grandmother and I used to make when I was a child.

The simplicity of this recipe reminded me that sometimes less is more and gave me newfound respect for my grandparents' generation.

Wartime carrot biscuit recipe

Makes six

Ingredients

One tablespoon margarine

Two tablespoons sugar

A few drops of vanilla or almond for flavouring

Four tablespoons grated raw carrot

Six tablespoons self-raising flour or plain flour mixed with half teaspoon of baking powder

Extra sugar to sprinkle on top of the cookies

Method

Cream the margarine and sugar together until light and fluffy. I used a hand mixer to start with but I quickly realise this wasn't necessary with such small quantities. A spatula works just fine.

Next, beat in the flavouring and the grated carrot.

Fold in the flour, or flour mixed with baking powder. The mixture will seem too dry but the more you mix the ingredients together, the wetter it will become.

Drop spoonfuls of the mixture onto a greased baking tray.

Sprinkle the tops with the extra sugar and bake at 220C, 425F, gas mark 7 for about 20 minutes. I baked mine at this temperature for around 13 minutes and found they were perfectly cooked. I'd keep an eye on them and take them out once they've turned golden brown.