Put the cubed unsalted butter in the freezer. If possible, chill the flour in the refrigerator for 10–20 minutes and keep all other ingredients as cold as you can while you work.

Zest both oranges into a small bowl (you should have about 2 tablespoons zest). Juice the oranges into a separate small bowl. Use 2 tablespoons of the orange juice for the dough and reserve the remaining juice for the glaze.

In a large bowl, combine the orange zest and the granulated sugar. Rub the zest into the sugar with your fingers until the sugar is evenly infused and aromatic.

Add the baking powder, salt, and the spooned-and-leveled flour to the sugar mixture. Whisk together until well combined.

In a small bowl, whisk together most of the heavy cream, the egg, the vanilla, and the almond extract (if using). Use about 8 tablespoons (approximately 1/2 cup) of the heavy cream in this mixture and set aside the remaining heavy cream to brush the scones later.

Add the frozen cubed butter to the dry ingredients. Using a pastry cutter (or two knives), cut the butter into the flour mixture until the pieces are about pea-sized and evenly distributed.

Make a well in the center of the dry mixture and pour in the wet mixture. Gently fold with a wooden spoon or rubber spatula just until a shaggy dough begins to form.

Add the dried tart cherries and mix only until they are evenly incorporated and the dough is mostly moistened. Do not overmix.

Lightly flour a work surface and turn the dough out onto it. With lightly floured hands, bring the dough together into a cohesive mass, handling it as little as possible. Pat or press the dough into a disc about 1 inch thick. Cut the disc in half, then shape each half into a smaller disc about 5 inches wide.

Wrap each disc tightly in plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for 10 minutes.

Remove the chilled discs, place on a parchment-lined baking sheet, and cut each disc into 8 equal wedges (16 total). Arrange wedges about 2 inches apart on the sheet. Brush the tops with the reserved heavy cream and sprinkle with white sparkling sugar if desired.

Refrigerate the prepared scones on the baking sheet for 20 minutes while you preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C).

Bake the chilled scones at 400°F for 17–25 minutes, until the edges are lightly golden and the tops are just browned (about 19–20 minutes is typical). Watch closely to avoid overbaking.

Remove the pan from the oven and let the scones cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes, then transfer them to a cooling rack to cool completely.

When the scones are completely cool, make the glaze by whisking the 1 cup powdered sugar with the reserved orange juice until smooth; add more juice a little at a time if you want a thinner glaze. Drizzle or spread the glaze over the cooled scones and let it set before serving.