The word junket has been used since the fifteenth century to refer to a dessert made of flavoured, sweetened curds.
Junket is now the brand name of 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 rennet is mixed in to cause curdling. Warmer or cooler temperatures will inactivate the rennet. The junket is then allowed to set in a refrigerator.
The rennet tablets have a very long shelf life if kept sealed and not exposed to heat. Junket tablets are a common source of rennet for home cheese makers.
Junket is often served with a sprinkling of grated nutmeg on top.
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The word "junket" (non-copyrighted, non-trademarked) refers to a form of bribery/corruption whereby entities offer services or privileges in the expectation of winning "hearts and minds". Compare movie junket.
In a gambling sense, a junket is a cheap or free trip to a casino or similar establishment on the guarantee that players will gamble for a specific period of time or wager a specific amount of money.
