Braggs charcoal biscuits are made according to an original recipe from 1879 and devised by john longman bragg in his bakery in londons west end braggs charcoal biscuits contain activated charcoal a natural product which gives the biscuits their distinctive colour activated charcoal has been used for centuries first recorded in 1500bc by the ancient egyptians braggs charcoal biscuits are made according to an original recipe from 1879 and devised by john longman bragg in his bakery in london