Strawberry Crunch Cheesecake Tacos (Printable Version)
Crispy cinnamon shells filled with creamy cheesecake mousse topped with strawberry crunch crumble.
# What You Need:
→ Taco Shells
01 - 8 small flour tortillas
02 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
03 - 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
04 - 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
→ Cheesecake Filling
05 - 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
06 - 1/2 cup heavy cream
07 - 1/4 cup granulated sugar
08 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
→ Strawberry Crunch Topping
09 - 1 cup freeze-dried strawberries
10 - 2 cups crispy rice cereal
11 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
12 - 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
→ Fresh Topping
13 - 1 cup fresh strawberries, diced
# How to Make It:
01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Brush both sides of each flour tortilla with melted butter. Combine granulated sugar and ground cinnamon, then sprinkle evenly over the tortillas. Drape each tortilla over the bars of the oven rack to form a taco shell shape. Bake for 7 to 9 minutes until golden and crisp. Remove and let cool completely.
02 - In a mixing bowl, beat the softened cream cheese, granulated sugar, and vanilla extract with an electric mixer until smooth and creamy. In a separate chilled bowl, whip the heavy cream to medium-stiff peaks. Gently fold the whipped cream into the cream cheese mixture in two additions until combined. Transfer the mousse to a piping bag or a spoonable bowl.
03 - Add the freeze-dried strawberries and crispy rice cereal to a food processor. Pulse until a coarse crumb forms. Transfer to a bowl and stir in the melted butter and granulated sugar until evenly coated.
04 - Pipe or spoon the cheesecake mousse generously into each cooled taco shell. Sprinkle the strawberry crunch topping liberally over the filling. Finish with a scatter of fresh diced strawberries on top.
05 - Serve immediately to preserve the crunch of the taco shells and topping. For an indulgent finish, drizzle with melted white chocolate or strawberry sauce before serving.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The contrast of warm baked shells against cold cheesecake filling is something you will crave again and again.
- No water bath, no springform pan, no waiting overnight like a traditional cheesecake demands.
02 -
- Do not fill the shells more than thirty minutes before serving or the mousse will soften the crunch into sadness.
- Freeze dried strawberries are not the same as regular dried strawberries and only the freeze dried ones will give you that concentrated flavor and proper crumb texture.
03 -
- Chill the mixing bowl and beaters before whipping the cream and it will reach peaks faster and hold them longer.
- Pulse the crunch topping in short bursts rather than running the processor continuously to keep some bigger cereal pieces for textural contrast.