Junket (dessert)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Junket is the brand name of a product used to make a milk-based dessert, made with sweetened milk and rennet, the digestive enzyme which curdles milk. To make it, the milk mixture (usually with sugar and vanilla) is heated to approximately body temperature and the Junket tablet, which has been dissolved in a tablespoon of cold water, is mixed in to cause curdling. Warmer or cooler temperatures will inactivate the rennet. The junket is then allowed to set in a warm place for approximately 10 to 15 minutes, until it forms a loose pudding, before being chilled in the refrigerator prior to serving. Junket is often served with a sprinkling of grated nutmeg on top.
Junket tablets are a common source of rennet for home cheese makers.
Although "Junket" is a brand name, it is also the common noun in English for this type of dessert. The Middle English word was "jonket," which was a kind of egg custard served on a mat of rushes, or made in a rush mat. The ultimate source of the word is the Latin "juncus" meaning a rush. Another related English word is "jonquil." (American Heritage Dictionary)
