Before I started growing them hydroponically, I had to save a lot of basil every season, since there was no way I could be out of it! Here is how I did it:
I would fill those popsicles with basil paste, made of just basil and oil. After making a lot of this, I figured out that a loosely packed cup of basil leaves made between 3 and 4 tb paste. I would put an entire one of those popsicles in a Thai curry, made with 2 cans coconut milk. For things I needed a smaller amount in, I would just swish it in the sauce until I had just enough, then put it back in the mold, and then back into the freezer.
I never put garlic in the paste, as it eventually gets an off flavor, even in the freezer, IMO. If I wanted pesto, I'd just add the other ingredients when I made it.
Salt layering is another idea, maybe not for regular basil, but Thai basil is a little less moist, so it may work.