Renown pastry chef François Payard helps us fall into the harvest season with desserts featuring some of autumn's most valuable players, like apples, pears, pumpkins, sweet potatoes and cranberries.

Five Fall Desserts: François Payard

1. Apple Financier Tart (Serves 6)

"To me, this tart really says fall. We use fresh organic Fuji apples that we bake in the oven until they begin to caramelize. This tart is perfect for so many different occasions like Thanksgiving. It's also a great tart to serve at a dinner party with friends because it tastes great served at room temperature."

For the financier batter:

3 Tbsp (43 grams) unsalted butter

1/2 cup (60 grams) slivered almonds

1/4 cup plus 3 Tbsp (50 grams) confectioners' sugar

1/4 cup plus 2 Tbsp (54 grams) all-purpose flour

2 Tbsp (15 grams) cornstarch

Pinch of salt

4 egg whites

2 Tbsp (42 grams) honey

1/4 cup (58 grams) heavy cream

1 vanilla bean, split

For the apple filling:

10 Tbsp (1 1/4 sticks or 142 grams) unsalted butter, cut into Tbsp

3 medium (510 grams) Golden Delicious apples, peeled, cored and cut into 1/4-inch dices

1/2 cup (168 grams) honey

For the assembly:

1 9 1/2-inch tart shell, unbaked

For the glaze:

1/4 cup (84 grams) honey

Cooking Directions

Make the financier batter: Preheat the oven to 350°F.

Melt the butter in a small skillet over medium heat. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook the butter until it begins to brown and has a nutty fragrance, about 3 minutes. Set aside to cool.

Put the slivered almonds in a food processor and process until finely ground, about 45 seconds. Transfer the ground almonds to a medium bowl. Sift the confectioners' sugar over the almonds. Add the flour, cornstarch and salt and gently whisk to combine.

Combine the egg whites, honey, cooled browned butter and cream in another medium bowl. Scrape the seeds from the vanilla bean (reserve the pod for another use) into the bowl and whisk to combine. Add the dry ingredients and whisk just until combined. Set aside.

Make the apple filling: Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat and cook until it is golden brown and fragrant, about 5 minutes. Add the diced apples and honey and cook, stirring occasionally, for 2 minutes. Drain the apples in a strainer set over a bowl, reserving 1/4 cup of the liquid. Stir the reserved liquid back into the diced apples.

Pour the apple mixture into the tart shell and spread in into an even layer. Scrape the financier batter over the apples, covering them completely.