Whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl. Add the herbs if desired, add the melted butter and milk. Gently stir until just combined, being sure not to beat heavily, since it will cause the dumplings to become very dense.
Drop the dumpling batter into the simmering stew by heaping teaspoonfuls, over the surface of the stew. Cover and simmer the dumplings until cooked through, about 15 minutes. Don‘t remove the lid while they steam! The lid keeps the steam in creating light fluffy dumplings, that easily double in size.
Check after 15 minutes with a toothpick, insert into the center of a dumpling and if it comes out clean, then they‘re ready. If there are traces of raw dough then, cover and cook an additional 5 minutes.
Stir in parsley and cream. Season to taste with Kosher sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper. Ladle portions into warmed bowls, garnish with parsley and serve.