Preheat oven to 190 degrees.
Peel the onions and trim just the tops and bottoms, keeping them whole.
Place the onions in a baking dish (25cm tray), drizzle with olive oil and season with salt, pepper and smoked paprika.
Bake for 25 minutes, until the tops begin to lightly brown.
Remove from the oven and pour the cream around the onions. Sprinkle over the thyme, scatter with cheese and dot with butter.
Return to the oven and bake uncovered for a further 25-30 minutes, until the onions are completely tender and the top is golden and bubbling.
Finish with chopped parsley before serving.
4 servings