Method for operating an induction hob in order to heat water in a cooking vessel which is placed above at least one induction heating coil of the induction hob, comprising the following steps: - a controller of the induction hob drives the at least one induction heating coil for a first inductive heating of the placed-on cooking vessel with a prespecified power density, - during the heating of the cooking vessel , operating parameters of the at least one induction heating coil are detected and evaluated by the controller in order to monitor a relative temperature profile of the temperature of a cooking vessel base, - as soon as the relative temperature profile of the cooking vessel base levels off to a significant extent or a gradient of the relative temperature profile decreases, the controller identifies this and determines this as the situation of a "lightly boiling" state and of a temperature of a top side of the cooking vessel base which is 5°C to 15°C below the boiling point being reached, - the power density is then automatically reduced for a predetermined hold time, characterized in that - an operator is offered a hold option in such a way that, by operating an operator control element , the temperature is regulated to the value at the time of the start of the hold time by means of automatic setting of the power density, or the power density at the time of the start of the "lightly boiling" state is kept constant, - after the hold time has elapsed without an operating process, the controller operates the at least one induction heating coil with a higher power density than the prespecified power density during the first heating of the cooking vessel for further heating the cooking vessel or the water contained therein to a higher temperature. - a controller of the induction hob drives the at least one induction heating coil for a first inductive heating of the placed-on cooking vessel with a prespecified power density, - during the heating of the cooking vessel , operating parameters of the at least one induction heating coil are detected and evaluated by the controller in order to monitor a relative temperature profile of the temperature of a cooking vessel base, - as soon as the relative temperature profile of the cooking vessel base levels off to a significant extent or a gradient of the relative temperature profile decreases, the controller identifies this and determines this as the situation of a "lightly boiling" state and of a temperature of a top side of the cooking vessel base which is 5°C to 15°C below the boiling point being reached, - the power density is then automatically reduced for a predetermined hold time, - an operator is offered a hold option in such a way that, by operating an operator control element , the temperature is regulated to the value at the time of the start of the hold time by means of automatic setting of the power density, or the power density at the time of the start of the "lightly boiling" state is kept constant, - after the hold time has elapsed without an operating process, the controller operates the at least one induction heating coil with a higher power density than the prespecified power density during the first heating of the cooking vessel for further heating the cooking vessel or the water contained therein to a higher temperature. <EOS>