Sweet, salty, spicy pecans

From Once Upon A Chef cookbook by Jennifer Segal

These are great.  Jennifer writes that these nuts are addictive - perfect to serve with cocktails, toss over salads, give as a homemade gift, or just snack on.   The whole process takes about 15 minutes.

Ingredients: 
1/2 cup confectioners sugar
3/4 tsp Kosher salt
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper (I usually use less)
2 cups whole pecans

Directions: 
1) Preheat the oven to 350 and set an oven rack in the middle position.  Line a rimmed 13x18" baking sheet with parchment paper.

2) In a medium bowl, whisk together the sugar, salt and cayenne.

3) Add the pecans to the sugar mixture, along with 4 teaspoons of water.  Stir until the sugar is dissolved into a sticky glaze and ll the nuts are evenly coated.  If the mixture is still too powdery after stirring for a while, add a few more drops of water - just don't add too much.

4) Transfer the pecans to the prepared baking sheet and arrange in a single layer.  Scrape every last bit of glaze from the bowl and drizzle over the nuts.  Bake for 10-12 minutes, until the pecans are crusty on top and caramelized and golden on the bottom.  Immediately slide the parchment off of the hot baking sheet and allow the pecans to cool completely on the countertop.  Once cool, remove the pecans from the parchment, breaking apart any clusters if necessary, and store in an air-tight container at room temperature for up to 2 weeks.  Do not freeze.