Not giving your dough enough time to ferment or rise is the most common reason babka turns out tough. Make sure you see signs of fermentation before ending your first rise or baking your loaf. u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eAnother reason is not building enough strength into your dough. Babka dough doesn’t need to be too “strong,” but it still needs to be able to hold onto the carbon dioxide released by yeast. Make sure your dough at least looks smooth and does not tear after you knead it.