According to legend, during the Wanli period of the Ming Dynasty, a Ma Kaishan opened a shop in Xialu Street, Tongan, and made caramel-filled scones in the pastry. Because it looks like a horseshoe and was created by Ma Kaishan, it is called "horseshoe crisp".

Because horseshoe crisp is crisp and fragrant, people nicknamed it "eating sweet cakes". Fang Fang, a poet in the Qing Dynasty, was full of praise for this: "At first glance, you can still leave marks, but if you don't step on flowers, you will be fragrant."

Horseshoe crisp is mainly made of flour, sugar, maltose and lard. After the skin and stuffing are kneaded, they should be baked on the furnace wall one by one (now it is fried in iron plate). Maltose must be added in the baking process and fried with hemp, which is nutritious and hot. Women in southern Fujian often use it as a hot supplement for confinement. Horseshoe crisp is also a good gift for relatives and friends. Because horseshoe crisp is durable and easy to carry.

Yes, people take it as travel food when they go out. According to legend, Zhuang Weiyang, a Tongan native in the Ming Dynasty, took horseshoe crisp as dry food when he went to Beijing to test martial arts. At this time, Wu Yinyu, who came to Beijing incognito, came to the inn where Zhuang Sheng lived. Zhuang Weiyang met the guest and invited him to taste horseshoe crisp. Wu Ye was full of praise after tasting it. They talked about literature and martial arts while tasting it. Wu Ye secretly praised Zhuang Sheng as a talent. When he left, Zhuang Sheng gave him four bags of horseshoe crisp, which made Yuzryha dance very happy. He said to Zhuang Sheng, "Nice to meet you today. There is nothing to give. The martial arts department will start school in three days. I have a white horse with a carved saddle tied to the locust tree on the left side of the field. You can ride this horse into the arena. " On the day Kobe was opened, there was a white horse under the locust tree. Zhuang Sheng rode a white horse and entered the examination room. His popularity has doubled, and everyone present appreciates him, especially the examiner. After the martial arts examination, Zhuang Zhongwu was a scholar. Later, Zhuang Weiyang learned that he was riding a horse from Wu Ye and got help from Wu Ye. After returning to his hometown, he prepared water chestnut cake and made a special trip to Beijing to pay homage to Wu Ye's former residence. From then on, "Horseshoe Crisp" became famous in Beijing, and for a time, five governments scrambled to eat "Tongan Horseshoe Crisp".