Preheat oven to 400°F / 200°C / Gas mark 6.

In a medium mixing bowl, whisk flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt together. Set aside.

Cut butter into small pieces and place in freezer.

Whisk together milk, egg and sour cream in a small bowl until completely smooth. Set aside.

Add cold butter to dry ingredients and use a pastry blender, fork, or your fingers to work the butter into the flour until it resembles coarse crumbs.

Pour wet ingredients into flour mixture and stir gently (I use a rubber spatula) until it just starts to comes together.

Add cherries and gently fold them into the crumbly dough. Turn dough out onto lightly floured surface and press together - do not knead dough. Press out into a 1 inch thick round or square.

To make smaller scones: Dip a medium-sized cutter into flour, then press straight down into dough and pull straight up. Do not twist the cutter. Place scones on parchment-lined baking sheet. Repeat until all the dough is used up. Gather and lightly press dough together to cut the last few. To make 8 large scones, cut square of dough into 8 equal pieces with a knife or a bench scraper.

Brush tops with reserved cream, sprinkle each scone with 1 tsp. coarse sugar and bake. Medium scones will bake for 14 - 16 minutes, large scones 18 - 20 minutes.

Let rest on baking sheet for 5 minutes before moving to a cooling rack to cool completely.