Chef Joost
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Boerenjongens (Dutch Brandied Raisins)
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The name means farm boys, but the jar is pure celebration: raisins swollen with brandy, cinnamon, and patience, spooned out at New Year like a northern Dutch secret.
Beverages
Dutch
New Years
Make Ahead
Celebration
15 min
Active Time
10 min cook•168 hr 25 min total
Yield1 liter jar, about 12 small servings
In my grandmother's second notebook, the page for boerenjongens was less a recipe than an instruction to remember restraint. Raisins, sugar, brandewijn, a little spice, and then the most difficult ingredient in any Dutch kitchen: waiting. The jar stood in the cool cupboard through December, dark as polished mahogany, while children were told it was not for them. For obvious reasons.
The name already tells you its posture. Boerenjongens means farm boys, plain and sturdy, but don't mistake plainness for poverty of imagination. This is northern pantry intelligence: dried grapes revived in syrup, preserved in brandy, and brought to the table when the year turns and people need something small, sweet, and warming in the hand. Its sister is boerenmeisjes, farm girls, usually made with apricots. Why boys for raisins and girls for apricots? The old sources smile and refuse to explain themselves. I won't invent an etymology where the archive stays quiet.
But let me tell you a secret. Boerenjongens are not really drunk, they are spooned. You serve them in little glasses with some of their syrupy brandy and, if the evening asks for softness, a cap of barely sweetened cream. Hou het altijd simpel, always keep it simple: simmer the syrup until clear, let the raisins swell gently, pour in good brandy once the heat has calmed, and then leave the jar alone. History and cookery, they cannot be separated, but here they agree on one practical matter. Patience does most of the work.
Boerenjongens belong especially to the northern Dutch household tradition of preserving fruit in alcohol, with Groningen and Friesland both claiming them as festive winter table fare. The pairing with boerenmeisjes, apricots preserved in brandy, appears in Dutch domestic cookery from the nineteenth century, when jars of brandied fruit were served at weddings, New Year visits, and Sunday dessert. The dish reflects a frugal preserving culture: dried fruit, sugar, and brandewijn turned a farm cupboard into a celebration store.
The technique, the tradition, and the story behind every dish.
Discover Culinary ExplorerIngredients
golden or mixed raisins
Quantity
500g
water
Quantity
250ml
fine sugar
Quantity
200g
cinnamon stick
Quantity
1
whole cloves
Quantity
2
lemon peel
Quantity
1 strip
unwaxed, pith removed
Dutch brandewijn or good brandy
Quantity
500ml
lightly whipped cream (optional)
Quantity
to serve
| Ingredient | Quantity |
|---|---|
| golden or mixed raisins | 500g |
| water | 250ml |
| fine sugar | 200g |
| cinnamon stick | 1 |
| whole cloves | 2 |
| lemon peelunwaxed, pith removed | 1 strip |
| Dutch brandewijn or good brandy | 500ml |
| lightly whipped cream (optional) | to serve |
Equipment Needed
- •1 liter preserving jar with tight lid
- •Small saucepan
- •Fine sieve
- •Clean spoon for serving
Instructions
- 1
Clean the jar
Wash a 1 liter preserving jar and its lid in hot soapy water, rinse well, then dry it in a low oven or with a spotless towel. Alcohol helps preserve, yes, but it is not a license for a lazy jar.
- 2
Rinse the raisins
Put the raisins in a sieve and rinse them under warm water, then drain well. This removes dust and wakes the skins a little, so they drink the syrup instead of sitting in it like pebbles.
- 3
Make the syrup
Combine the water, sugar, cinnamon stick, cloves, and lemon peel in a small pan. Bring to a gentle boil, stirring until the sugar dissolves, then simmer for 5 minutes until the syrup is clear and lightly perfumed.
- 4
Swell the raisins
Add the raisins to the syrup and let them simmer very gently for 3 minutes. You are not cooking them into jam; you only want them to plump and take in the spice. Take the pan off the heat and let it cool for 15 minutes.
Do not pour brandy into a boiling pan. Heat drives off the very spirit you paid for, which is wasteful, and the Dutch have never admired waste. - 5
Add the brandy
Stir in the brandewijn or brandy once the syrup is warm rather than hot. Spoon the raisins, spices, and liquid into the clean jar, making sure the fruit is fully covered. If a few raisins float, they will settle after a day or two.
- 6
Wait and serve
Seal the jar and leave it in a cool dark place for at least 1 week, turning it gently once a day. Two to four weeks is better. Serve a spoonful of raisins with some of the amber liquor in small glasses, with a little lightly whipped cream if the table is in a festive mood.
Chef Tips
- •Use decent brandy, not your rarest bottle and not the bottle you hide from guests. The raisins will carry every harsh edge straight to the spoon.
- •Golden raisins make a brighter, honeyed jar; dark raisins make a deeper, more molasses-like one. A mixture is very Dutch: practical, balanced, and unwilling to choose sides without need.
- •Boerenjongens are strongest in the first spoonful and gentler with cream. For New Year, serve them in small glasses with tiny spoons. This is a borrel, a little drink, but one that makes you chew.
- •Keep every raisin under the liquid while storing. If the fruit rises above the brandy, press it down with a clean spoon or add a splash more brandy.
Advance Preparation
- •Make at least 1 week ahead; 2 to 4 weeks gives a rounder flavour and softer raisins.
- •Keeps for about 3 months in a cool dark cupboard if the jar is clean and the raisins remain covered. Refrigerate after opening and use within 1 month.
Frequently Asked Questions
Nutrition Information
1 serving (about 85g)
Calories
230 calories
Total Fat
0 g
Saturated Fat
0 g
Trans Fat
0 g
Unsaturated Fat
0 g
Cholesterol
0 mg
Sodium
5 mg
Total Carbohydrates
49 g
Dietary Fiber
2 g
Sugars
43 g
Protein
1 g
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