In a bowl, cream the butter and sugar. Then mix in the eggs, brandy, salt, vanilla, and flour. Let rest for at least 30 minutes in the refrigerator. Roll out the dough to 1/8- inch thick. Preheat oven to 350 degree. You can either use cookie cutters or use the point of a toothpick like a knife to cut out cookies in any shapes you want. Once the cookies have been cut out, gently place them on the baking sheet. Then either brush them with egg yolk and sprinkle with nuts and raisins or brush with egg white and sprinkle with blue sugar. Bake for about 10 minutes, or until golden brown. Use a metal spatula to gentle remove each cookie from the baking sheet to a cooling rack or flat plate.