Like a magician's rabbit, chocolate is soft and silky, it disappears quickly, and it can usually distract young children long enough for adults try out their roller skates. Take your taste buds for a gourmet glide with today's Groupon: for $10, you get $20 worth of hand-painted chocolates, truffles, and desserts at Christophe Artisan Chocolatier-Pâtissier, with locations in downtown Charleston and in Mount Pleasant.

Christophe Paume, a third-generation Chocolatier, learned the art of cocoa manipulation as a child in his father's pâtisserie in Toulouse, France, and has been crafting sweet masterpieces ever since. His current shops form all of their mouthwatering morsels on site, subbing pesky preservatives for sweet, chew-activated infusions of children's choir harmonies. Hand-painted, molded, and flavor-filled chocolates come in 19 tongue- and eye-dazzling varieties, including lavender caramel, mango rum, fresh mint, and earl grey tea. Truffles seduce sweet teeth with tastes ranging from topical coconut to rich and creamy cappuccino cheesecake. Opt for an assortment (starting at $9.95 for four pieces) if you're feeling indecisive or like to use sweet-smelling boxes to capture spare noses.

Shoppers salivating over Christophe's massive variety of teenier treats can take breaks to admire chocolate sculptures. Christophe has edible versions of nearly everything, including goldfish, stilettos, and Einstein's theory of relativity.

Reviews

The Charleston City Paper featured the Christophe Artisan Chocolatier. Eight Facebookers give the dessert shop five stars.

• The chocolates are beautiful and compliment their elegant taste. – Christopher S., Facebook
• Me and my friend stopped by and bought 9 chocolates, walked out, stopped a flew [sic] doors down and had a sample. Needless to say, in less then five minutes we returned to by lots more! – Christian S., Facebook