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• First prepare the pastry: mix the flour with the grated lemon zest and a pinch of salt, then rub in the butter with your fingertips. Mix in the sugar, then add the yolks and vanilla extract. Bring the pastry together with your hands to form a ball. If too dry add a teaspoon of chilled water. Wrap it in cling film, flatten it down to a rough disc about 2cm thickness – this will make it easier to roll out later - and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
• You can also prepare the pastry with a food processor, mixing the flour, lemon zest, sugar, salt and the butter until crumbly and finally adding the egg yolks
• Preheat the oven to 180°C. Remove the clingfilm from the pastry and roll it out between 2 sheets of baking paper. Lay it in a 26cm tart tin.
• Bake the pastry blind, covering the dough with greaseproof paper and filling it with baking beans (or dry beans) to cover the base. Bake for 18-20 minutes, remove the paper and baking beans and bake for a further 5-7 minutes until just golden.
• Meanwhile prepare the filling by mixing the butter and sugar. Add the ground almonds, almond essence, vanilla extract and finally the eggs.
• Spread a layer of the peeled, diced apples and dried figs on the bottom of the tart case. Pour the almond-butter-egg mixture over the top. Arrange the fresh fig slices on top and sprinkle with the flaked almond. Bake for 40-45 minutes.
• Serve warm or at room temperature.