Tender slow cooker beef and ale casserole recipe with fluffy dumplings

Name: Tender slow cooker beef and ale casserole recipe with fluffy dumplings
Ingredients: 50 g plain flour; 1.2kg chuck, stewing or casserole beef steak, trimmed and cut into 5cm chunks; 250 mL beef stock; 3 tbsp. olive oil; 2 large onions, finely sliced; 2 large carrots, cut into 2.5cm chunks; 200 g button mushrooms, halved if large; 1 bay leaf; 4 thyme sprigs; 500 mL ale, we used Doom Bar; 100 g plain flour; 1 tsp. baking powder; 50 g butter, chilled, coarsely grated; 1 tbsp. fresh parsley, finely chopped, plus extra to garnish; 1 tsp. freshly picked thyme leaves; 50 g extra-mature Cheddar cheese, grated