Slow Cooker Beef & Wine Stew

1 kg stewing steak
SIDS SALT & PEPPER to taste
2 tbsp plain flour
2 tbsp rice bran oil
2 brown onions, diced
3 garlic cloves, crushed
3 carrots, sliced
1 cup red wine
2 cups beef stock
2 bay leaves
DUMPLINGS:--
125 g self-raising flour
½ tsp baking powder
60 g butter
1 tsp rosemary chopped
100 ml milk
½ cup tasty cheese, grated
⅓ cup parmesan, grated

Cut the beef into large pieces. Season well with SIDS SALT & PEPPER, then dredge in the flour. Heat 1 tbsp of oil in a large frypan over high heat and brown beef in batches, removing to the slow cooker.
Heat remaining oil then fry off onions, garlic, and carrots for 2-3 minutes until onions have softened. Add to beef to slow cooker.
Pour wine into frypan to bubble up. Add stock, and bring to the boil. Pour this liquid over beef and vegetables. Add bay leaves and cover with lid. Cook on LOW for 7-8 hours.
DUMPLINGS: Whisk flour and baking powder together. Rub butter into flour until it resembles bread crumbs. Stir through rosemary, then gently combine with milk and cheese to form a light, scone-like dough.
Form into 10 golf-ball sized balls and place these directly on top of the stew, leaving room for the dumplings to expand. Replace the lid and cook on high for 30 minutes until the dumplings have puffed up.