Gofio is a roasted cereal typical of the Canary Islands. It’s been a long time since I’ve tasted gofio, during my last visit to the Canary Islands, and whenever I go there I love to eat gofio desserts. My friend Susana, who has family in La Palma, gave me this gofio corn flour as a present and always brings me a little package.

The cereal can be wheat flour or corn, its characteristic toasted flavor gives a special touch to the desserts and it is also great for breakfast mixed with milk and it is a very complete breakfast to start the day.

Gofio mousse is also very good but as the highest percentage used for this dessert is cream, I decided to prepare a lighter sweet and also gluten-free for those with allergies.

As you can see, the cake is very fluffy despite the use of corn flour and I had it for breakfast with a turmeric latte and Emma’s Müesli Gluten Free with red fruits

Instructions to make the Roasted Corn Sponge Cake Gluten Free:

1. Preheat the oven to 180ºC
2. Separate the yolks from the whites
3. Beat the egg yolks with the sugar with a whisk until it becomes a smooth mix.
4. Add the extra virgin olive oil, milk, cinnamon, anis and the grated lemon zest and beat.
5. Sieve the flour and yeast and pour the previous mixture over the flour mixing well with the wooden spoon or silicon spatula, until a homogeneous dough is left.
6. Whip up the egg whites to soft peaks and add them to the previous mixture.
7. Add a shot of aniseed liquor and mix well with the wooden spoon to prevent the mixture from deflating.
8. Grease and line a mould with baking paper and pour in the mixture.
9. Put it in the oven for 40-45 mins or until it comes out dry when you prick it with a fine knife.
10. Leave to cool for 10-15 minutes and then remove from the mould and leave to cool on a wire rack.

Ingredients for 8 servings:

• 5 eggs
• 200 g of corn flour
• 1 shot of aniseed liqueur
• 100 ml of extra virgin arbequina or empeltre olive oil
• 200 ml milk
• 200 g of sugar
• lemon zest
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon aniseed seed (matalauva)
• 3 teaspoons of baking powder