Starbucks Caramel Macchiato By Nescafe Dolce Gusto, Coffee (6 Servings), 12 Pods

This is a sweet drink and it does not pretend otherwise. It is the pod to reach for if what you actually want in the afternoon is something closer to a pudding than to a coffee, and it is a poor choice if you want to taste the roast. Bought as what it is, it does the job well: the caramel is present the whole way down rather than fading after two mouthfuls, and the milk carries it without turning claggy.

Where this sits in the Starbucks and Dolce Gusto ranges

Starbucks licenses its recipes into several capsule systems, and the system matters more than the badge. This one is built for Nescafe Dolce Gusto machines and will not fit a Nespresso, a Tassimo or a Lavazza A Modo Mio. There are Starbucks pods for those systems too, which is exactly why it is worth checking the line on the box rather than the logo before you buy.

Within the Dolce Gusto range this is a flavoured milk drink, so it sits alongside the cappuccino and latte macchiato builds rather than the black americano pods. All three of those are two capsule drinks. The unflavoured ones let the roast through; this one puts caramel in front of it deliberately. If you keep a mixed box in the cupboard, this is the one people reach for mid afternoon rather than at seven in the morning.

The twelve pod, six serving count is smaller than the standard Dolce Gusto milk packs, which is worth knowing if you are comparing shelf prices. Compare on cost per finished drink. A box of twelve that makes six is not the same purchase as a box of sixteen that makes eight.

Packaging: Follow the current UK pack and local-authority guidance; components can require different disposal routes.

How Starbucks Caramel Macchiato By Nescafe Dolce Gusto, Coffee (6 Servings), 12 Pods compares

• Against the plain Dolce Gusto cappuccino: the cappuccino is the coffee drink with a foam cap and no added flavour; this is the sweet one. If you want to taste the coffee, the cappuccino is the better pod. If you want caramel, nothing unflavoured is going to satisfy you.
• Against a coffee shop caramel macchiato: the capsule version is consistent and a fraction of the cost, and it does not come with a queue. What it does not give you is the option to ask for it less sweet, half the syrup or an extra shot. The pod makes one drink and that is the one you get.

Getting the best out of it

A sweet drink has a narrower margin for error than a plain one, because sugar amplifies whatever else goes wrong. Brew it long and it reads watery and cloying at the same time, which is the worst of both. Brew it into a cold cup and the caramel turns dull before you have finished it.

The standard serve

• Cup:A tall glass or a standard mug. A macchiato is meant to be seen in layers, so glass is worth it once.

• Warm it:Run hot water through the cup and tip it out. Sweet milk drinks go dull faster than black coffee when they lose heat.

• Order:Milk capsule first, coffee capsule second, straight through the middle of it. That is where the layering comes from.

• Fill lines:Brew both to their marked lines as the baseline. This pod is easier to ruin by over running it than by stopping short.

The less sweet version

• Short milk:Stop the milk capsule a little before its line. Less volume against the same coffee moves the balance back towards the roast.

• Full coffee:Run the coffee capsule to its full mark. This is the only lever you have for cutting the sweetness without adding anything.

• Salt:A pinch of flaky salt on top reads as caramel rather than as salt, and it takes the edge off the sugar. Add it at the end.

Practical notes on the pack

• Yield: 12 pods, 6 servings. Two capsules per finished drink, one milk and one coffee.
• Machine fit: Nescafe Dolce Gusto machines only. The Starbucks name also appears on pods for other systems, so check the line rather than the logo.
• Contains milk: not suitable for vegans or anyone avoiding dairy.
• Sweetness: This is a sweet drink by design. If you are watching sugar, the nutrition panel on the pack is the figure to read before you commit to a box.
• Storage: Cool, dry and dark. The capsules are individually sealed, so the carton is there to protect them from heat and crushing.
• Iced: One of the better pods in the range over ice, because the caramel survives dilution better than a plain roast does. Brew both capsules short over a full glass.

Ingredients, allergens and storage

What is in it:two sealed single serve capsules per drink, one carrying the milk element and one carrying the coffee with the caramel character the product name declares. The full ingredient list is printed on the pack.

Ingredients and dietary suitability: Check the current UK pack before purchase; formulations and allergen advice can change.

Allergen note:contains milk.

Not suitable for vegans:and not suitable for anyone with a milk allergy or avoiding dairy.

Sugars: the nutrition panel on your pack is the number to use.

Caffeine and sensitivity:Coffee is a stimulant. If you are sensitive to caffeine, pregnant, or following medical advice on your intake, treat this as you would any other caffeinated coffee and follow the guidance you have been given.

Keep capsules out of reach of children:and do not open or refill them. They are sealed and under pressure while the machine is running.