"This is a dessert we have at a hākari (feast, celebration). Our whānau would traditionally put the tin into the hāngī or multi-kai cooker rather than a pot." - Ryker, JD + Whānau

Ingredients

• 2 cups white sugar (1 for the syrup, 1 for the pudding)

• 4 oz softened butter

• 2 eggs

• 2 cups all-purpose flour

• 2 tsp baking powder

• 1/2 cup milk

• 1 tsp baking soda

Method

• ¼ fill a large stockpot with water and put on the stove to boil.
  

• Caramelize/burn 1 cup of white sugar in a pot on the stove, while stirring. Don’t leave it to go too dark. The more burnt it is, the more bitter it will be. Once at desired colour, slowly add 1 cup of boiled water (Be careful as it’s all very hot). Mix together, let it cool.
  

• Use a large mixing bowl. Add 1 cup white sugar and cream the softened butter and sugar together with an electric beater. The more you beat it, the fluffier it will become. About 5 minutes.
  

• Add eggs, one at a time while continuing to beat the ingredients. Beat for about 2 minutes each egg addition. 

• Add flour and baking powder and fold through.

• In a separate bowl, mix together the baking soda and milk - then add to mixture.
  

• Next, slowly add sugar syrup to the main mixture while stirring.
  

• Line a large catering size tin can (eg. Watties baked beans or fruit salad tin) with baking bag. Pour the mixture into the tin, ¾ full and tie bag at top with room for rising. 
  

• Cover tin with tinfoil, then carefully place tin into stockpot of boiling water. Put lid on top and continue to boil. This can take a while. Check every 15 minutes or so, and make sure there is water in pot. When you think it is done poke a knife through and if it pulls out clean it is ready. This can take around 1.5 hours depending on heat and how sealed the tin is.

• Be careful to remove bag from tin, it will be steamy. Take pudding out of bag. Cut up into pieces, and serve with cream, custard or ice cream - whatever you desire.