Preparation Steps

• Heat the oven to 350°F and position a rack in the center.
• In a shallow bowl combine the graham cracker crumbs, granulated sugar and a pinch of salt; set aside.
• Using a 3 3/4-inch round cutter, cut three circles from each 9-inch tortilla (6 tortillas will yield about 18 shells). Stack scraps to re-roll if needed.
• Lightly dock each tortilla circle on one side with a fork to help release air while baking. Brush the same side with melted butter, then press into the graham mixture so both sides pick up crumbs; repeat for all circles.
• Fold each coated circle in half and pinch the seam gently to form a taco shape. Arrange the folded shells across an upside-down muffin tin so they drape between cups and hold their shape (stagger them so they don’t touch).
• Bake the shells for 12–13 minutes, or until the edges are golden and the shells feel firm to the touch. Keep an eye after 10 minutes so they don’t over-brown.
• Remove the shells and let them cool in the muffin tin 8–10 minutes so they keep their shape, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. For extra crispness chill the cooled shells in the refrigerator 10 minutes before filling.
• While shells are cooling, make the filling: beat the cream cheese in a medium bowl with a hand mixer or sturdy spatula until smooth and free of lumps. Add the cheesecake pudding mix, powdered sugar, vanilla and lemon zest and mix until combined.
• In a separate chilled bowl whip 1 cup of heavy cream to stiff peaks. Fold about one-third of the whipped cream into the cream-cheese mixture to loosen it, then gently fold in the remaining cream until the filling is airy and uniform.
• Spoon the cheesecake filling into a piping bag fitted with a large star or round tip (or use a zip-top bag and snip a corner). Pipe the filling into each cooled shell, starting at one end and working in short back-and-forth swirls to the other end so each taco is evenly filled.
• Toss the chopped strawberries with the strawberry glaze in a small bowl. Spoon or drizzle the glazed strawberries over the filled tacos, then serve at once or refrigerate up to 1 hour for a slightly firmer texture.