Take all ingredients out of the refrigerator 1/2 hour before preparing. This will allow them to come to room temperature and combine better.

Preheat oven to 220° top/bottom heat.

Brush the baking pan with cooking oil and place it on the middle shelf of the preheated oven. 

In the meantime, whisk eggs with milk until well combined. Mix wheat flour with salt, gradually stir in until no more lumps are seen in the batter. 

Break the Fourme d'Ambert into small pieces by using your hand and add them. Mix everything well once again. 

Remove the hot baking pan from the oven and quickly pour the batter into the cups. Return the pan to the oven and bake the popovers for 10 minutes first. Then turn the temperature down to 180° and bake for another 30 - 35 minutes. Do not open the oven door during the baking time, otherwise the popovers will fall down.

After baking, remove the popovers from the oven, carefully take them out of the pan and let them cool slightly on a cooling rack. 

Grind saffron threads in a mortar.

Place cardamom pods under a wide knife blade and flatten firmly with your hand until they pop open slightly.

Wash pears, peel with a peeler, leaving the stems on. If necessary, cut the bottoms straight so they stand up well.

Grate the zest from the lemon with a grater. 

Put powdered sugar, cinnamon sticks, ground saffron, cardamom pods, lemon zest, star anise in a small saucepan. Add the pears and fill with water until half full. Simmer at medium temperature for about 30-40 minutes until the pears are soften but still have bite. Remove the pears and reduce the juices to a syrup for about 10-15 minutes. 

Place a popover on a plate, add a saffron pear and drizzle with some saffron-cardamom syrup. Cut Fourme d'Ambert into small pieces and arrange on a plate with walnuts.