The Common Baking Tool You Can Use To Easily Make Tortilla Cups

Even to the inexperienced, eating and assembling tacos can be a messy ordeal. Overstuff the tortilla and everything will fall out as you eat it, and if you add too much sauce, you risk the shell getting soggy and breaking. Of course, you could always settle for a taco salad, or double up on tortillas to combat spillage. However, the most foolproof way to go about it (aside from actually mastering the ideal proportions of taco filling) is to use a more strategically shaped tortilla.

Many tortilla brands have come up with their own solution, which means it isn't uncommon to find tortilla cups, tostada bowls, and other similar variations of the product in grocery stores. But while you can easily find bowl-shaped tortillas at your local supermarket, it's even easier to achieve on your own without having to buy a pricier product or a special mold. And, chances are you already have everything you need in your kitchen.

Even if you don't make muffins or cupcakes that often, a muffin tin is a great tool to have on hand. You can use it for tarts and miniature cheesecakes, or homemade egg bites, and Alton Brown actually bakes his meatballs with one. A muffin tin is also surprisingly useful when you're making tacos.

According to Taste of Home, a muffin tin when turned upside down can hold a tortilla into a perfect bowl shape. Just stick the tortilla between the cups, position the sides so they're raised, then bake until crispy. Food Network suggests a similar method, instead using the muffin tin right-side-up, stuffing the tortilla in so it takes the shape of a cupcake liner, then baking at 425 degrees Fahrenheit. This works best with a jumbo muffin tin, the network shares, but either way you'll end up with a taco bowl that'll keep all the contents nice and contained. 

It may not be the traditional way to serve tacos, but there's no denying it's a lot easier to manage.