1-Step One: Prepare Your Equipment Start by preheating your oven to 200°C (392°F). Line your rectangular pan with parchment paper, making sure the paper extends over the edges like handles. This setup is crucial for easy removal later. A standard 33 cm by 23 cm jelly roll pan works perfectly, though you can adjust with a 27 cm by 23 cm pan if needed.

2-Step Two: Create the Meringue Base In a clean, dry bowl, whip your 3 egg whites with a portion of the sugar until soft peaks form. This usually takes 3-4 minutes with an electric mixer on medium-high speed. The meringue should look glossy and hold a gentle curve when you lift the beaters. Don’t overwhip to stiff peaks, as the meringue needs to fold easily into the yolk mixture. The key to successful meringue lies in clean equipment and patience. Even a tiny drop of yolk or oil can prevent proper whipping, so separate your eggs carefully.

3-Step Three: Prepare the Yolk Mixture In a separate bowl, beat 3 egg yolks with the remaining sugar until the mixture turns pale yellow and creamy. This takes about 2-3 minutes and creates a ribbon-like consistency when you lift the whisk. The color change indicates proper aeration, which contributes to the cake’s light texture. Once your yolks are ready, sift in the wheat flour and corn starch together. This prevents lumps and ensures even distribution. Gently fold the dry ingredients into the yolk mixture using a spatula, then stir in the milk and oil until fully incorporated.

4-Step Four: Fold and Combine Now comes the delicate part. Gently fold the whipped egg whites into the yolk mixture in three additions. Cut through the center with your spatula, then fold from the bottom up. This technique preserves the air bubbles you created in the meringue, resulting in that signature fluffy texture. The final batter should be uniform in color with no visible streaks of white, but be careful not to overmix. A few gentle folds more than necessary can deflate the batter.

5-Step Five: Bake the Sponge Pour the batter into your prepared pan, spreading it evenly to the corners. Gently tap the pan on the counter two or three times to release any large air bubbles. This prevents holes in your finished cake. Bake at 200°C for 10 minutes until the top turns golden and springs back when lightly touched. The cake should pull slightly from the edges of the pan when done.

6-Step Six: Roll While Hot This step is crucial for preventing cracks. Remove the cake from the pan immediately after baking. Place a clean kitchen towel over the cake, then invert the whole thing. Carefully peel off the parchment paper. Starting from the short edge, roll the cake gently while it’s still warm. This sets the shape and prevents cracking when you unroll and fill it later. Let the rolled cake cool completely on a wire rack.

7-Step Seven: Prepare the Durian Filling While the cake cools, make your filling. Chill your mixing bowl and beaters in the freezer for 10 minutes, then whip the cold 200 g whipping cream to stiff peaks. The cream should stand tall without drooping when you lift the beaters. Blend in the 200 g durian pulp until smooth. Fresh durian works best, but frozen durian that’s been thawed and drained creates equally delicious results. For those who find durian’s flavor too intense, start with 150 g and adjust to taste.

8-Step Eight: Assemble and Chill Carefully unroll the cooled cake. Spread the durian cream filling evenly across the surface, leaving about 1 cm border at the edges. This prevents filling from squishing out when you roll it back up. Re-roll the cake tightly but gently, using the parchment paper to help guide it. Wrap the finished roll in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours before slicing. This resting time allows the flavors to meld and the filling to set properly.

9-Step Nine: Slice and Serve Use a sharp, thin-bladed knife to slice the roll into rounds about 2 cm thick. Wipe the knife clean between cuts for neater slices. Serve chilled for the best texture and flavor experience.