Gather all your ingredients. Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt.
Add the frozen, cubed butter to the flour mixture. Cut the butter into the flour until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
Gently fold in the dried tart cherries and the zest of both oranges.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the heavy cream, egg, vanilla bean paste, and almond extract (if using).
Pour the wet ingredients into the dry mixture and gently mix until just combined.
Turn the dough out onto a floured work surface and gently pat it into a circle about 1-inch thick. Cut into wedges or use a round cutter.
Brush the tops with a bit of heavy cream and sprinkle with sparkling sugar if desired.
Bake the scones for 15-20 minutes, or until golden brown on top.
Allow the scones to cool on a wire rack. Optionally, whisk together powdered sugar and orange juice for a glaze.