Bacon and Scallion Corn Muffins

Ingredients

• 8 ounces applewood-smoked bacon cut into 1/3-inch pieces ( 8 slices)
• 1 tablespoon double-acting baking powder 
• 0.3 teaspoon pepper black freshly ground
• 1.3 cups buttermilk at room temperature
• 2 large eggs at room temperature
• 6 ounces flour all-purpose
• 1 teaspoon hot sauce 
• 0.8 teaspoon salt fine
• 5 large scallions chopped (green onions)
• 0.3 cup sugar 
• 1.5 sticks butter unsalted chilled cut into 1/2-inch cubes
• 7 ounces cornmeal yellow

Equipment

• food processor
• bowl
• frying pan
• paper towels
• oven
• whisk
• spatula
• muffin tray

Directions

1. Position an oven rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 400 degrees F. Line a standard 12-cup muffin pan with paper liners.
2. In a large nonstick skillet, cook the bacon, over medium heat until crisp and brown.
3. Transfer the bacon to paper towels; drain and cool.
4. In a large bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, hot sauce and eggs.
5. Combine the cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and pepper in a food processor. Drop in the cold butter cubes. Using on/off turns, blend until the butter is cut in finely and the mixture resembles a coarse meal.
6. Pour the dry ingredients over the buttermilk mixture. Scatter the bacon and green onions over the batter. Using a thin, flexible spatula, fold the batter together, scraping up the liquids from the bottom each time and turning the bowl as you fold. Do not over-fold; some dry patches are fine. Using a rounded 1/3 cup of batter for each muffin, fill the paper liners.
7. Bake until puffed and browning at edges, and a tester inserted into the center comes out clean, 18 to 20 minutes.
8. Let the muffins stand 5 to 10 minutes. Twist each muffin in place to loosen the edges from the pan. Lift the muffins out onto a rack and cool.