Thanks for posing the request— I keep thinking about this.

I'm thinking of adding in a little balsamic with the berries...and maybe freezing individual portions in mini glass jars?

I just saved a recipe this morning for strawberry shortcake tiramisu. Following your thread for a strawberry shortcake ice cream recipe. Assuming the birds and chipmunks leave me any berries…

Hmm, interesting tiramisu from Lidey Heuck and Food52, both of whom I trust.

https://food52.com/recipes/strawberry-shortcake-tiramisu

Looks like it may be less sweet then the ice cream versions, many of which have condensed milk

I like this too but I am not sure if all of my friends would go for the basil. https://cookingwithcocktailrings.com/2018-strawberry-balsamic-shortcake-with-basil/

i will postmy tecipe/ method once i have two hands free. my left is occupied ❤️

I also use that basic recipe for the ice cream Mtn, except that I add a bit of whole milk to the mixture and a teaspoon of vanilla. I also use fat free sweetened condensed milk as it is less sweet than the regular. I usually make the strawberry compote component with frozen strawberries and keep the fresh ones for garnish. To make the compote for one batch of ice cream (2 cups whipped heavy cream and one 14-oz can of non fat sweetened condensed milk, 1 tsp vanilla and a few tsblespoons of frothed milk ) I use one bag of frozen strawberries and several tsblespoons of fresh lemon juice and the zest of one lemon, and as much sugar as needed to make it sweet but very tart— to offset the sweetness of the ice cream. This cooks uncovered for a long time, u til it is jammy and thick. If necessary you can thicken it with a little cornstarch and cold water mixed to a slurry which will not affect the taste. I have also thickened it with a small bag of dried (but not dry iykwim) Montmorency cherries that sort of melt into the mix and make it jammier and add a deeper fruity note. You want the consistency of the compote to be fairly thick. when its done, refrigerate for about an hour. I usually make it a day ahead.

Instead of cookies I cut about half of a plain frozen Sara Lee pound cake into one inch cubes (or slightly smaller). It is drier than homemade pound cake which means it wont create ice crystals in the finished product.

Whip the cream until it has medium peaks, then add the condensed milk and whole milk and vanilla and whip again to stiff peaks, Fold in the cake cubes and put it in a glass pyrex 8 x 8 dish. Now add sizeable dollops of the chilled compote and take a knife and draw them through the ice cream like ribbons. Or blobs, usually :) Cover the surface of the ice cream with plastic wrap (right on the surface itself, to prevent ice crystals from forming) then cover that with heavy aluminum foil and freeze for at least four hours,

Garnish each serving with a whole fresh strawberry. If you want the ice cream to be strawberry, I’ve found the best way to achieve that is to pulverize freeze dried strawberries in a food processor and add them with the condensed milk. They turn the ice cream a lovely pink!

You can use the basic ice cream recipe for other fruits and cakes, the main caveat is not to load too much into the ice cream. You can also use dulce de leche sweetened condensed milk for a caramel ice cream and add nuts and cooled chocolate ganache in dollops and ribbons for a very good result. I’ve also made coffee ice cream with powdered espresso and added chocolate and coconut to that. The possibilities, as they say, are endless!

very helpful, @KSWL, thank you!

I should add that the basic recipe came by way of Bigger, Bolder Baking chef Gemma Stafford. Americas Test Kitchen has a similar recipe that uses just one cup of the condensed milk and a a quarter cup each of whole milk and light corn syrup. I dislike the taste of corn syrup so I have made it with Lyle’s Golden Syrup from sugarcane as a substitute. I didn’t find those changes to make a commanding difference in taste or consistency, although others I know prefer ATK’s recipe in case you want to experiment.

I ended up going a different direction, but inspired by the ice cream. My considerations:

1. I don't want a lot of dessert left over

2. My lunch ladies are light eaters and generally watch their intake

3. We will start with a cheese course so want to end lighter

4. I have cutesy parfait glasses I want to use

5. I have 4 foodies and 2 very traditional eaters so I want flexibility.

So I am going to serve diced macerated berries over lightly sweetened whipped mascarpone and lady finders. I will serve it with a bottle of aged syrupy balsamic and a basil plant with herb scissors. The last two garnishes are for the more adventuresome among us.

I like balsamic glaze on berries, and my preference is for white balsamic as it is not as bossy in relation to the fruit.

Whipped marscapone with about half as much whipped cream folded in gives the cheese a very light texture, like a mousse. It DEFINITELY adds to the calorie count though!

Yes, that is what I plan to do. I would think that mascarpone and whipped cream have about the same calories though, so if you are using the same total volume it doesn't matter much I'd think.

Hmm, I like the idea of white balsamic. I have not see a thick syrupy aged version in white; off to look!

I want a pretty bottle because it will be set out on the table for those who want a splash on their dessert.

But Oh my...

Buy a glass bottle with a stopper and decant the vinegar into it.

LOL, my aged balsamic (not white) is very syrupy, would be hard to decant. But it is in a nice bottle with a cork stopper so that'd ll have to do.