Add the cherries, sugar, cornstarch, lemon juice, vanilla, and almond extract to a large pot.
Heat over medium heat until the cherries begin to break down and the filling thickens, about 10-15 minutes.
Pour the cherry filling into the bottom of a baking dish and set aside.
Biscuit Topping
Cut the butter into small cubes and place back in the fridge to firm up.
Preheat the oven to 400°F.
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt.
Cut the cold butter into the dry ingredients by flattening the cubes into disks. You want the butter to remain in relatively large chunks (about quarter sized).
Slowly drizzle the heavy cream over top, combining with a fork as you go. Using a spatula or bowl scraper, fold the dough over onto itself a few times in the bowl until it comes together into a wet and sticky dough.
Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and pat into a circle that's between ½ and 1 inch thick.
Using a small biscuit cutter, stamp out about 12-15 round biscuits (re-roll the scraps if needed).
Arrange the biscuits on top of the cherry filling. Lightly brush the tops of the biscuits with a melted butter and sprinkle with sparkling sugar if desired.
Bake at 400°F for 10 minutes.
Then reduce the heat to 350°F and bake for 30-40 minutes until the filling is bubbly and the tops of the biscuits are golden brown.
Serve warm with homemade whipped cream or vanilla ice cream!
Notes
Cover and store in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat in the oven at 350°F for 10 minutes.