You don’t need to use whipping cream to make homemade ice cream. You can just use a higher fat cream. Depending on your taste buds, you can even use a half and half and have delicious ice cream. If you are seeking a higher milk fat, Vital Greens, an organic dairy processer here in Alberta, makes a 52% cream.
Some chose to use whipping cream because of the stabilizers, but you’re right, it’s not necessary. Stabilizers are usually added to commercial ice creams to increase the shelf life (so it doesn’t crystalize as fast), help thicken it, and slow down the melting process. By using a high fat cream, that helps solve a lot of those concerns and the result is deliciously creamy and smooth ice cream. Some also use egg yoks as a stabilizer if they aren’t getting what they desire just from the fat.
We have a delicious recipe that you may want to try!