HOW TO MAKE LIAM CHARLES’S CARROT CAKE

It’s carrot cake, but not as you know it. “I was in the sixth form when one of my teachers asked me to make her a carrot cake,” he says. “I went through a phase of making complementary biscuits to go with cakes I baked, so these carrot cake cookies were made. Since then, I’ve developed and these cookies are not anyone’s sidekick any more.”

Ingredients (Makes 15)

For the filling: 150g full-fat cream cheese; 150g icing sugar; 1tsp vanilla extract.

For the dough: 350g plain flour; 1/2tsp baking powder; 1tsp ground cinnamon; 1tsp mixed spice; 1tsp ground cloves; 150g unsalted butter, softened; 100g soft light brown sugar; 50g soft dark brown sugar; 1 large egg; 200g carrot, finely grated

For the decor: Zest of 2 oranges and juice of 1 orange; 4tbsp walnuts, finely chopped

Method

1. Mix the cream cheese, three tablespoons of icing sugar and the vanilla in a bowl, then pop in the freezer for 30-45 minutes.

2. Measure the flour, baking powder and spices in another bowl. Beat your butter and sugars together in a third bowl until creamy. Beat your egg into the butter mixture, then tip in the carrot. Mix well and tip your dry ingredients into the carrot mixture and mix slowly.

3. Preheat oven to 200.C/fan 180.C/gas 6. Line a baking tray with baking paper. Weigh your dough and divide by 15 - then flatten slightly into thin discs using your palm.

4. Add a generous teaspoon of the cream cheese filling to the centre of each disc and wrap the dough around the filling. Pinch the top and roll back into a ball. Pop the balls on the tray and flatten slightly. Place in the fridge for 30 minutes.

5. Bake for 20 minutes and leave to cool. Sift the remaining icing sugar into a bowl and mix with the orange juice. Flick the icing over the cookies and top with the orange zest and walnuts.