Method

Preheat the oven to 180C. On a lightly floured surface, make a well in the sifted flour, add the castor sugar and push to the sides of the well. Add chopped butter and the egg yolks to the middle. Gently combine the mixture with your fingertips until it becomes smooth and dough forms. Knead until just combined. Wrap and chill in the fridge for 30 minutes or so.

Cut a cross section into the tops of the figs and marinate the figs in Marsala or dessert wine. They should soak for between 30 minutes and an hour before you use them.

Roll out the dough until about 3mm thick and bake blind for 10 minutes until golden and light. Cream the butter and icing sugar together until combined. Scrape the vanilla seeds into the beaten egg yolks and fold in the ricotta to incorporate. Combine the two mixtures evenly and spread thinly over the sheet of pastry, top with Marsala figs and bake again until the mixture is set. This will take about 15 to 20 minutes. Remove and leave to cool before serving with clotted cream and a dusting of icing sugar.