I'm trying to make homemade desert taco bowls. Every recipe I read for these basically says "it's so easy it'll make you cry." I spent two hours experimenting with how to make taco bowls that turn out crispy and had absolutely no luck!

Help!

First off, I tried making homemade soft tortillas out of instant masa flour. After letting them sit on my griddle for 30-60 seconds I'd let them cool. Then, I"d gently try to lay them in a giant desert tartlet shell-about the size that I'd like the dessert taco. I tried baking it to no such luck. They turned out chewy. Then I fried them. That worked...however, they would pop out. So I need to find a way to keep them in the shell.

OR

So that worked with already premade tortillas. When I realized frying the tortillas was going to work I tried it with the homemade tortillas. At this point they were falling apart or tearing.

I though this would be super easy. What am I doing wrong?! I followed the directions for the tortillas to a T (directions came from the masa flour package!).

Is there a method to them not falling apart? Am i cooking them too long, not long enough, is the dough to dry even though it's wet to the touch....?
Help is greatly appreciated!