Raisin Cream Pie

My Dad's Favorite Holiday pie. Can't leave this out.

1 cup seedless raisins
3/4 cups water
3/4 cups Rum
3/4 cups sugar
3 tablespoons cornstarch
¼ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 tablespoon butter
1 cup half-and-half
2  9' pastry crust for 2 crust pie

Rinse and drain raisins. In a 6" or 8" dutch oven, add water and rum and bring to a boil over 8 or 10 charcoals, for about 10 minutes. Blind sugar, cornstarch, and salt. Add to raisin mixture and cook, stirring constantly, until clear and thick. remove from heat and stir in vanilla, butter, and cream. Roll out one pie crust to 10" and place in the bottom of an 8" dutch oven, and lining up the sides. Pour raisin mixture into crust lined Dutch oven. Place remaining crust over raisins and crimp around edges. Put 3 or 4 vent holes in top crust with a knife.  Bake at 400ºf, over 8 to 9 charcoals, and 12 to 14 on top. For 30 minutes, or until top crust is light brown. Serve worm or cold.