Junket is a sweet dessert made from milk, rennet, and flavorings. It was traditionally given to sick people for its mild flavor and nutrition. The name comes from Middle English, and it can also refer to a type of dinner or journey. To make it, heat milk, add flavorings and sugar, dissolve rennet, pour into molds, and let it sit until firm.
Junket is a dessert made from sweetened and flavored milk, mixed with rennet to coagulate. The curdling causes it to turn into a soft pudding, which is usually served cold, often topped with fruit or spices. Depending on how it is made, rush can have a mild or intense flavor and can also be quite rich. Traditionally, it was often offered to invalids and people who weren’t feeling well, under the theory that a lightly flavored food would likely go down and stay down, and also provide some nutrition.
People have been making some form of bulrush for centuries. It was certainly familiar to people in the Elizabethan era, when sick children were offered it as a tempting food in the hope that it might make them eat it. Early recipes would have been made with milk, flavorings, honey, and rennet, as sugar sweeteners were either unavailable or extremely expensive. Modern rush is usually made with sugar, although if you want a more authentic touch, you can use honey; the honey will also develop a richer, more intense flavor.
Some popular jasmine flavors include orange blossom, rosewater, vanilla, almond, and caramel, among many others. More delicate desserts can be offered with a sprinkle of nutmeg, cinnamon or another spice to make it more interesting, and fruit can be added as well. The texture of this milk pudding is usually thick, smooth and creamy, and sometimes a little gelatinous.
The name appears to derive from the Middle English jonket, referring to a rush basket that was used to drain cheeses and puddings. The term has also been used to refer to dinners organized to celebrate guests and visitors to a region, which explains the other meaning of the word ‘junket’, a journey undertaken to raise funds and popularity. Politicians love to junket, as do movie stars.
To make a basic junket, heat 2 cups (473 mL) of milk over medium, stirring frequently, until the milk is about body temperature. Add 0.5 teaspoon (3 mL) of flavoring of choice, along with 2 tablespoons (50 grams) of sugar and stir to dissolve sugar. Meanwhile, dissolve one rennet tablet in 2 teaspoons (11.8 mL) of warm water, taking care to stir until the tablet is completely dissolved, then stir it into the milk mixture. Pour it into molds and let it sit, undisturbed, at room temperature until firm, at which point it can be chilled for several days before serving.
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