Is it supposed to look like this??? I tried making rock sugar yesterday and I'm not too sure that this is how it's supposed to come out. Firstly I couldn't get the sugar syrup to reach the 275 like the recipse stated. It stuck at about 255 and I got fed up and threw in the royal icing. Any advice from anybody who has tried this before?

Yep thats as about as close as I have seen it. Post your recipe.Did you whisk in the Royal Icing? Does your Royal Icing recipe have lemon juice in it if so you will have to leave it out of your Royal Icing when you do this. Will check back later.

Rgds Sugarcreations...

Secondly you might want to check your thermometer from what I can tell it almost caramelized on you.

The thermometer is brand new. I used real egg whites for the royal icing with a drop of acetic acid and a few drops of almond essence. I didn't whisk it.
As for the recipe I quartered it since I was trying it for the first time. It was 2lbs sugar to 1 cup water. Heat slowly to 255F. Add food dye if desired at this point. Continue heating to 275F and remove from heat. Add 2 tbsp royal icing and mix very lightly. Mixture should puff up and deflate slightly.Transfer to foil lined heat proof bowl and immediately place in preheated 200F oven.

Was this one hard lump? I would have thought that the acetic acid would also have the same effect of Lemon juice which Sugar Creations suggested that you leave it out. But I am not 100% sure.