Candied Chile Pecans

1 cup water
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup unsulphured dark molasses
2 teaspoons ground dried red chile
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups pecan halves

Heat the oven to 250 degrees F. Grease a 12 x 9-inch baking dish.

In a heavy saucepan, bring all the ingredients except the pecans to a boil over high heat. Add pecans, stir well, and reduce the heat to simmer. Cook the pecans for 10 to 12 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the syrup has been well reduced.

With a slotted spoon, transfer the pecans to the baking dish. Bake the nuts for about 1 1/2 hours, stirring them about halfway through the cooking time. When ready, the pecans will be dark brown and crunchy. Stir them a few more times, and transfer them to wax paper to cool.

If tightly covered, the pecans will keep at least a week.