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1
Soak the raisins in the liquor for 30 minutes.
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2
Drain, reserving the liquid.
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3
Heat the oven to 350 degrees.
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4
Lightly grease and flour 2 cookie sheets.
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5
If you are making the biscotti by hand, sift together the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt.
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6
With your fingers, rub in the butter until the mixture has the texture of coarse cornmeal.
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7
Place them in a mixing bowl, making a well in the center.
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8
Beat together the egg yolks, reserved liquor and the milk and pour them into the well.
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9
Gradually draw the dry ingredients into the egg mixture, turning the bowl and working from the outside toward the center.
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10
When the dough is evenly mixed, scrape it onto a lightly floured work surface and flatten it into a rectangle.
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11
Scatter half the raisins, pine nuts, almonds, candied orange peel and aniseeds over the dough, and fold the dough over on itself several times to distribute them evenly.
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12
Add more flour to the work surface if necessary to keep the dough from sticking, and repeat the process with the remaining raisins, pine nuts, almond, orange peel and aniseeds.
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13
If you are using an electric mixer, combine the flour, baking powder and salt and set aside.
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14
In the mixing bowl, cream the butter and sugar and beat for about 3 minutes, until light and creamy.
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15
Add the yolks, one at a time, incorporating each fully before adding another.
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16
Stir in the liquor and the milk.
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17
Sift the flour mixture over the top and fold in at the lowest speed.
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18
Add the remaining ingredients by hand.
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19
Lightly flour the work surface and your hands and shape the dough into 6 equal 9-by-2-inch logs.
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20
If the dough is too soft to roll, cover and refrigerate it for 1 to 2 hours.
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21
Transfer the logs to the cookie sheets, setting them at least 2 inches apart.
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22
Flatten the tops and brush with the egg wash.
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23
Bake until pale golden and barely firm, about 20 minutes.
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24
Remove the logs from the cookie sheets, let them cool until you can handle them, about 10 minutes, then cut each one on the diagonal at -inch intervals.
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25
Set the slices on their edges on the cookie sheets, leaving 1-inch space between them, and bake until golden and firm, about 15 to 18 minutes.
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26
Alternatively, you can lay the slices on their sides and turn them after 7 minutes.
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27
Cool on a rack.
