Gluten and Dairy Free Vanilla Sponge

This gluten free vanilla sponge is light, airy and delicious. It is traditionally made using the Italian meringue technique before adding the eggs, baking powder and cornflour. I have adapted the recipe to be made simply in the Tefal Cuisine Companion. An interesting tip is to drop your baked sponges from knee height onto the floor after removing tins from oven, this is supposed to shock the sponges and prevents deflating. I thought this was weird but did it and they didn't deflate.

Note: Make sure your cornflour is made from corn (maize) not wheat.
Note: Make sure your baking powder has rice flour not wheat flour added.
Note: Use PURE icing sugar not icing sugar mixture which has cornflour added if making icing to top the sponge.
Note: I used eggs from an 800gm carton of 12 eggs.

4 Eggs separated
165 gms Caster Sugar sifted if there's any lumps
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
185 gms Cornflour
1 teaspoon Baking Powder
Pinch of Salt

Wash your Cuisine Companion bowl with vinegar by adding 1 tablespoon of vinegar and wiping out with paper towelling, dry with more paper towelling.

Preheat oven 160 deg.
Grease and paper line 2 x 20cm round cake tins
Sift cornflour, baking powder and salt together and set aside.
Lightly beat yolks with a fork and set aside.

Insert Whisk. Stopper out.
Add egg whites
Start Sp6:40deg:6mins adding caster sugar by the tablespoon through hole in lid in the first minute.
Add yolks and vanilla extract
Sp3:10sec scraping bowl with spatula  after 5 sec
Add cornflour, baking powder and salt
Sp4:25sec scraping bowl with spatula after 10 sec
Remove whisk
Gently fold through 2 or 3 times with spatula any unmixed cornflour. Mixture may appear lumpy.
Bake 160 deg 18-20 mins or until done when tested.
Drop from knee height onto floor to prevent sponge from deflating.
Remove from tins and leave to cool on wire rack.
Decorate as desired.